EPA Proposes Nation's First Emissions Standards for Power Plants

This is long over-due, no?

Earlier this week the EPA proposed the first national standards for the emissions of mercury and other pollutants from coal-burning power plants. This rule could lead to the early closing of a number of power plants (this is probably a good thing!).

My question is "why did this take so long?!"

As the EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson, put it "[t]oday's announcement is 20 years in the making..."

Boiler and incinerator regulations are so hot

In an attempt to reduce pollution from boiler and incinerator emissions, the U.S. EPA establishes new standards under the Clean Air Act.

These standards are set to cover more than 200,000 boilers and incinerators that emit harmful pollution including mercury, cadmium, and particle pollution.

Read more... 

Feds to propose FIRST EVER truck fuel efficiency rules

From the Associated Press: 

"Future tractor-trailers, school buses, delivery vans, garbage trucks and heavy-duty pickup trucks must do better at the pump under first-ever fuel efficiency rules coming from the Obama administration."

"The fleet of new cars, pickup trucks and SUVs will need to reach 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, and the government is developing plans for future vehicle models that could push the standards to 47 mpg to 62 mpg by 2025."

Is this good enough?