"The Clean Power Plan: Progress and Challenges in the States"

A PSR Climate Health Webinar2015 Webinar Series September 16th, 2015

CLIMATE HEALTH ACTION TEAM (CHAT) ACTIONS REPORT

Over 1,843 CHAT and PSR members sent letters to their Members of Congress asking them to support the Clean Power Plan as a means to create significant gains in health.

Dr. Sara Via Trish O’Day, RN

Professor of Biology at University of Maryland; Co-leader Chesapeake PSR CHAT

Board member of both the Texas Chapter of PSR and the National Board.

The CPP in Maryland

Dr. Sara Via Dr. Al Bartlett

(MD CHAT co-leads)

Tim Whitehouse (Exec. Director CPSR)

The CPP in Maryland

Maryland is likely to meet its CPP targets mostlywith three existing programs:

1. Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) 2. Energy Efficiency through EmPOWER Maryland 3. Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), 20% by 2020

- Three of the 10 key programs established in 2009 under the 2006 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act (reduce CO2 25% by 2020)

- Formal SIP work for CPP will not begin until 2016 (reason for delay unclear at present…)

The CPP in Maryland

- Gov. Hogan (R) not yet vocal on how he will handle the climate plan initiated by Martin O’Malley

- We are still working with the O’Malley structure

- Gov. Hogan VERY pro-business, anti-regulation- first act was to block a regulation to require coal-fired power plants to reduce NOx

- Under Hogan administration, the MDE has gutted the rule it worked almost 2 years to develop (MD-CHAT’s main work this year)

- So, trouble on the horizon?

The CPP in Maryland

Current focus of environmental communityis renewing the GGRA, which sunsets in 2016

- CPSR and MD-CHAT working with MD Sierra club and coalition of other groups

- we are trying to make GGRA more aggressive (45% by 2030, 90% by 2050),

- to strengthen programs under GGRA, and

- to increase awareness of climate change and its health impacts among Marylanders

Status of RGGI

RGGI very strong, with documented economic benefit & electricity cost reductions in MD

- RGGI will have a program review early in 2016, alterations to facilitate CPP likely

- Leading RGGI states expected to reduce CO2 beyond CPP targets (NY, VT, MD(?))

- CPSR now involved with RGGI Advocates group (RGGI issue in MD– most revenue spent on direct bill assistance, not EE or RE)

Energy Efficiency in MD

EmPOWER MD is the EE program under GGRA

- Tasked with reducing demand 15% by 2020*peak demand PLUS overall demand

- July 2015, Maryland PSC voted to require a 2% yearly reduction in demand (including social costs of CO2 in the cost-benefit analysis, as advocated by environmental groups)

Renewable Energy in MD

Current RPS requires 20% renewables by 2020

- Solar growing fast, offshore wind started, - Community solar legislation passed 2015, BUT

- Legislation to increase to 40% (then 25%) failed 2015

- Combustibles such as black liquor , poultry litter are included in Tier 1 RPS

- Increasing RPS and capping/eliminating combustibleswill be topics in 2016 legislative session

Next Steps & Challenges

- CPSR next steps - EE advocacy - rollout of community solar pilot projects - environmental justice issues in energy use - educating Marylanders about climate change

- Challenges - political climate for GGRA, RGGI, RPS and CPP? - can we influence how RGGI funds are spent? - how to be most effective in facilitating EE and Community Solar in low-income communities? - how to broaden our educational efforts?

 

The Clean Power Plan: Progress and Challenges in the States

TEXAS

Texas: A Big State, A Big Polluter

Population: 27 million

Poverty: 18% of Texans are below the FPL

Hispanic population: 38% of all Texans and the majority population for under five year olds

Uninsured: now 17%, down from 25% uninsured. Texas has the largest number of uninsured persons in any state.

Texas: A Big State, A Big Polluter

CPP Goal for Texas

34% reduction in carbon pollution from power plants by 2030

A Big Polluter: Texas emits more carbon pollution than any other state and has two of the five dirtiest coal plants in the nation, Martin Lake (east TX) and W.A. Parish (near Houston)

Challenges

Texas politics and policy

Conservative

Historically very anti-Washington and federal government

Texas will not develop a CPP State Plan; we can expect the federal government to develop the Texas State Implementation Plan

Texas will sue the federal government to halt the CPP

Raising the Health Voice for climate, CPP, Renewables and Energy

Efficiency TX PSR Strategies:

Partnering: Environment Texas; Sierra Club; Texas Impact

- op-eds in Austin American Statesman, Houston Chronicle and the Monitor

- coal plant closure work

Align with traditional medicine

- Texas Public Health Coalition, (sponsor: Texas Medical Association)

- legislative work; moving towards focus on air quality/clean air

Work at the local level

- member panel on CPP: Austin Mayor, City Council, State Representative

TX PSR Future

Continue partnerships, and

Strengthen relationships with traditional medicine and other health professions

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“The Clean Power Plan: Progress and Challenges in the States"

Questions/Comments

CPP action is moving to the states! Raise the health voice in your state! Connect with your state’s CPP environmental

coordinator. Introduce yourself as a health professional/PSR

member who wishes to participate in the CPP process in your state.

Email Kolin Kearns, kkearns@psr.org and he will send you the contact name/email.

Climate Health Action Teams: Moving Forward in a Time of Transition

For more information contact: Barb Gottlieb, Environment & Health Director: bgottlieb@psr.org or 202-587-5225

www.PSR.org 202-667-4260