N.H., Maine join forces against Clean Power challenges

CONCORD, N.H. - Attorney General Joseph Foster announced on Wednesday that New Hampshire is joining Maine and 23 other states, cities and counties filing a motion to intervene to defend the federal Environmental Protection Agency's "Clean Power Plan" against legal challenge.

The coalition's motion to intervene in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit responds to suits that several states and industry groups have filed challenging the rule. The Clean Power Plan rule requires fossil-fueled power plants, the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions in the nation, to cut their emissions pursuant to the Clean Air Act.

The EPA adopted the Clean Power Plan through a multi-year stakeholder process that drew heavily on the experience of states and utilities in reducing power plant greenhouse gas emissions.

"For many years, New Hampshire regulators and industry have worked together to address greenhouse gas emissions in a responsible and cost-effective manner through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative ("RGGI") and by emphasizing the inclusion of renewables in our energy portfolio. The Clean Power Plan recognizes the value of these programs and will help bring the rest of the nation in line with reasonable greenhouse gas reduction goals."

The Clean Power Plan, along with the companion rule on new, modified, and reconstructed power plants, will control these emissions by setting limits on the amount of climate change pollution that power plants can emit. The rule for existing plants is expected to eliminate as much climate change pollution as is emitted by more than 160 million cars a year - or 70% of the nation's passenger cars.

The Attorneys General of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, the District of Columbia, the cities of New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boulder, South Miami, and Broward County (FL) have all joined the coalition.

For more information, contact Senior Assistant Attorney General K. Allen Brooks at 271-3679.