The National Resources Defense Council ("NRDC") urged state governments and power companies to continue prioritizing clean investments and asserted that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ("EPA's") Clean Power Plan ("CPP") will keep projected climate preservation progress "on track."
The NRDC specified that the CPP is projected to reduce annual carbon pollution emissions 32% by 2030 in comparison to 2005 levels. It noted that although the CPP was finalized on August 3, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court "unexpectedly" suspended its implementation in February 2016, until pending litigation is completed. The EPA will defend the CPP before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on September 27, 2016. The NRDC highlighted that numerous industry, government and legal experts believe that the CPP will be upheld "well before it is scheduled to take effect in 2022."
The NRDC warned that the currently strong renewable energy development rate may slow down as the tax credits expire, particularly if gas prices remain low. The NRDC emphasized the need for investing in carbon-cutting clean energy even more after 2030 – including wind, solar and energy efficient programs – to provide a "low cost pathway" to meet or exceed the CPP's goals. Moreover, it encouraged states to update and strengthen their respective renewable energy standards to maximize benefits as they "transition to a clean energy future."
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