• Rule Summary
• Rule History

Rule Summary

Carbon Pollution Standards for New, Modified and Reconstructed Power Plants apply to brand new sources built in the future or to an existing unit that meets certain, specific conditions described in the Clean Air Act and implementing regulations for being “modified” or “reconstructed.” In this final action EPA is establishing separate standards for two types of fossil-fuel fired sources:

• stationary combustion turbines, generally firing natural gas; and
• electric utility steam generating units, generally firing coal

These final standards reflect the degree of emission limitation achievable through the application of the best system of emission reduction (BSER) that EPA has determined has been adequately demonstrated for each type of unit.

Rule History

August 3, 2015 - Final Carbon Pollution Standards for New, Modified and Reconstructed Power Plants
EPA finalized Carbon Pollution Standards to cut carbon emissions from new, modified and reconstructed power plants

• Carbon Pollution Standards final rule (PDF)(768 pp, 2.9 MB, About PDF) – August 3, 2015
• Regulatory Impact Analysis: Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants
• Technical Support Document: Literature Survey of Carbon Capture Technology (PDF)(57 pp, 1.7 MB, About PDF)
• Overview Fact Sheet (PDF)(5 pp, 134 K, About PDF)

Previous Actions:

• June 2014 - Proposed Carbon Pollution Standards for Modified and Reconstructed Power Plants

  June 2014 - Proposed Carbon Pollution Standards for Modified and Reconstructed Power Plants

  EPA proposed Carbon Pollution Standards to cut carbon emissions from modified and reconstructed power plants

  • Federal Register: Proposed Carbon Pollution Standards for Modified and Reconstructed Power Plants - June 2, 2014
  • Regulatory Impact Analysis
  • Amended Regulatory Text Memorandums:
    • Proposed Applicability
    • Broad Applicability
  • Fact Sheet: Proposal to Limit Carbon Pollution from Modified and Reconstructed Power Plants
• September 2013 - Proposed Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants

  September 2013 - Proposed Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants

  EPA proposed Carbon Pollution Standards to cut carbon emissions from new power plants

  • Proposed Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants - Sept. 20, 2013
  • Notice of Data Availability
  • Withdrawal of 2012 Proposed Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants
  • Regulatory Impact Analysis: Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants
  • Technical Support Document: Effect of EPAct05 on Best System of Emission Reduction for New Power Plants
  • Fact Sheets
    • Moving Forward on the Climate Action Plan
    • Details About the Proposal for New Sources
  • Press release
• 2012 - Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants

  On March 27, 2012, the EPA proposed the first Clean Air Act standard for carbon pollution from new power plants. On September 20, 2013, the EPA issued a notice to withdraw this proposal.

  • Read the proposed rule
  • Press release
• 2010 - Proposed Settlement Agreements to Address Greenhouse Gas Emissions

  On December 23, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency entered into two proposed settlement agreements to issue rules that will address greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants and refineries. 

  • Press release on the settlements

  Fossil fuel-fired power plants produce electricity by burning fossil fuel – primarily coal. Petroleum refineries refine crude petroleum into a number of products including gasoline, kerosene, asphalt, lubricants, solvents and a variety of other products. These two industrial sectors make up nearly 40 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Fact Sheet: Settlement agreements to address greenhouse gas emissions from electric generating units and refineries (PDF)(3 pp, 58 K)
  • Settlement Agreement for Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plants - December 23, 2010 (PDF)(21 pp, 613 K)
  • Modification to the Settlement Agreement for Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plants - June 13, 2011 (PDF)(15 pp, 851 K)
  • Settlement Agreement for Petroleum Refineries - December 23, 2010 (PDF)(23 pp, 693 K)