"An Opportunity for Timely Action: EPA's Transport Rule Passes the Test"
Op-Ed, The Huffington Post
April 25, 2011
Authors: Robert N. Stavins, Albert Pratt Professor of Business and Government; Member of the Board; Director, Harvard Project on Climate Agreements, Richard Schmalensee
Belfer Center Programs or Projects: Environment and Natural Resources
"At a time when EPA regulations are under harsh attack, one new environmental regulation — at least — stands out as an impressive winner for the country. Studies of the soon-to-be-finalized Clean Air Transport Rule have consistently found that the benefits created by the rule would far outweigh its costs. By reducing sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from power plants in 31 states in the East and Midwest, the Transport Rule will create substantial benefits through lower incidence of respiratory and heart disease, improved visibility, enhanced agricultural and forestry yields, improved ecosystem services, and other environmental amenities. According to the EPA, these benefits will be 25 to 130 times greater than the associated costs. We document this in our new report, "A Guide to Economic and Policy Analysis of EPA's Transport Rule," which was commissioned by the Exelon Corporation.
Despite the benefits offered by the Transport Rule, some argue that it — and other EPA regulations — will stifle economic growth and threaten the reliability of our electric power system. However, a careful look at the evidence reveals that the Transport Rule is unlikely to create such risks. Analyses of the Transport Rule have found that it need not lead to significant plant retirements. Robust regulatory and market mechanisms ensure that the nation can meet emission targets while reliably meeting customer demand...."
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For Academic Citation:
| MOST VIEWED PUBLICATIONS | POLICY BRIEF: AUTO EMISSIONS | MOST VIEWED - OPEDS |
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Policy Options for Reducing Oil Consumption and Greenhouse-Gas Emissions from the U.S. Transportation Sector The goal of this paper is to contribute to the current policy debate about how to effectively limit or reduce oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from the U.S. transportation sector. |
