14 DAY TRIAL // We already spoke about how the US Environmental Protection Agency has big plans when it comes to better regulating air quality and cutting down on the ecological footprint of this country's power plants.
Recent news on this topic informs us that, according to a new report by the Electric Power Research Institute, the US economy stands to lose about $275 billion (roughly €211.81 billion) between the years 2010 and 2035 as a result of both current and pending environmental regulations brought forth by EPA.
Apparently, the coal-based power plants presently up and running in the US have until 2015 to green up their working agenda and make it abide by the new Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, and soon after they will also have to improve on the amount of water they are now using in order to cool their facilities.
As well as this, they will be required to implement new and more efficient ways of managing the coal ash resulting from their daily routine. Environmental Leader explains that failure to abide by these new rules and regulations will translate either into the coal-based power plants being forced to shut down altogether, or into their agreeing to switch to a different fuel source.
The Electric Power Research Institute Claims that, should the US Environmental Protection Agency agree to show more understanding and flexibility in their decision making process, the country's economy could save about $100 billion (about €77.02 billion) within the years 2010-2035 without better air-quality having to fall completely off the map.
Thus, allowing coal-based power plants to take their time in complying with the new regulations would ease the strain placed on the country's economy without environmental protection being entirely left out of the question.
Truth be told, we’ve already reported on how, according to the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, as many as 204 coal-based power plants in the US will most likely be forced to shut down within the next 5 years, both because of EPA'a green-oriented agenda and because of various other reasons. So this new study focusing on how this will impact on the country's economy is noteworthy to say the least.