I don’t need to convince you that there is no bigger issue or challenge than saving the planet for future generations.
You know who else I don’t need to convince? President Biden.
Biden has made amazing changes to the way that we protect the planet, and I’ve outlined many of them in this series.
Today I focus on a huge one — reducing pollution from coal-burning power plants.
Biden directed the EPA to address this imperative need, and they’re doing it! Here’s what the New York Times wrote in late April:
E.P.A. Severely Limits Pollution From Coal-Burning Power Plants
The Biden administration on Thursday placed the final cornerstone of its plan to tackle climate change: a regulation that would force the nation’s coal-fired power plants to virtually eliminate the planet-warming pollution that they release into the air, or shut down.
The regulation from the Environmental Protection Agency requires coal plants in the United States to reduce 90 percent of their greenhouse pollution by 2039, one year earlier than the agency had initially proposed. The compressed timeline was welcomed by climate activists but condemned by coal executives who said the new standards would be impossible to meet.
The E.P.A. also imposed three additional regulations on coal-burning power plants, including stricter limits on emissions of mercury, a neurotoxin linked to developmental damage in children, from plants that burn lignite coal, the lowest grade of coal. The rules also more tightly restrict the seepage of toxic ash from coal plants into water supplies and limit the discharge of wastewater from coal plants.
Politico explains that the timing of the regulations is strategic— from a couple of points of view. And the timing could be vital to the changes’ success:
Completing those four rules together is intended to give the power sector a broad view of the regulatory costs it will face from continuing to burn coal. Already, coal’s share of U.S. electricity production has plummeted during the past two decades, to about 16 percent from more than half.
Finishing the rules now could also protect the regulations from being rolled back by Congress next year if Republicans capture both Capitol Hill and the White House. Under the 1996 Congressional Review Act, any regulation approved after late May could be vulnerable to a legislative repeal.
Are the New Rules a Big Deal? As the New York Times put it:
In a word, yes.
Electric utilities have already had to comply for decades with other environmental regulations. Operators of coal plants have been forced to install technology like “scrubbers” to remove toxins, like mercury, or to invest in safer ways to dispose of coal ash and wastewater from their facilities.
But the new standards are by far the most sweeping.
Is there still more work to be done? 100%! Lots more work. But Biden has done so much more than many people guessed could be done. He deserves a lot of credit. AND he deserves to be re-elected.
What can you do to help?
Donate to re-elect Joe Biden!
Your donation will come bundled with others from our Good News community and will show Biden that there are many of us who support him and combine hard work with optimism in our battles for a better America!
Want to do something else?
Rec and comment on these posts to keep them alive at DKos and share them with others who might not realize how great a president Joe Biden has been.
Looking for something else? Here are some other ideas:
- Get involved with the Democratic party. We aren’t perfect, but they are fucking evil.
- Get involved with the States Project. They are working on turning state legislatures blue.
- Get involved with Swing Left. They are working on races right now!
- Get involved with Postcards to Voters. Influence voters in key areas from the comfort of your own home!
- The ACLU plays a key role in filing lawsuits that often stop voter suppression. Get involved with them at this link.
- Volunteer with Black Voters Matter at this link. They have work on the ground in progress in 10 states, and people from other states can write postcards, phonebank, fundraise, and text.
- Sign up at Democracy Docket to stay informed about the fight against voter suppression and the fight for voter rights.
This is an entry in my ongoing series Boosting Biden.
Check the comments for more information on how to find other entries and subscribe.
These posts are written by Goodnewsroundup (Goodie), edited by Matilda Briggs, supported by 2thanks and WolverineForTJatAW, and reinforced by several other notable Kossacks! As with all good things, it takes a village.