Climate change is among the subjects that the Obama administration will address this summer as it tries to finalize as much energy and environmental regulation as possible before President Barack Obama leaves office, The Hill reports.
The numerous high-profile rule releases planned for the summer include a climate change rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which would slash greenhouse gases in the power sector by 30%, according to a rule-making schedule released by the White House. States will have about a year to submit plans to comply.
A complementary rule limiting carbon emissions from newly built coal- and gas-fired power plants will also be unveiled in August, the White House said.
Environmental groups have criticized Obama for not going far enough to fight global warming and promote green energy. Business groups contend that the slew of new energy regulations will cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars.
In June, The Hill said, the administration will release a proposed rule to further cut carbon from large trucks and buses that it hopes to make final in January 2017 — the last month Obama is in office. Also in June, the EPA will decide whether to pursue rules on greenhouse gases from aircraft, satisfying a court settlement with environmental groups.
Final rules on the way this summer from the Interior Department will protect streams in Appalachia from mountaintop removal coal mining and seek to reduce methane output from oil and natural gas wells on federal land.
The Securities and Exchange Commission, however, is not proceeding with a proposal from financial reform advocates requiring corporations to disclose their political spending.