Contact: Tom Lawler, lawler@ieta.org

WASHINGTON DC, 3 August – IETA welcomes the Clean Power Plan’s embrace of emissions trading, offering a low cost solution to meeting the plan’s goals. 

Alongside the release of the final Clean Power Plan (CPP) rule, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed federal plan and model trading rules. The federal plan would apply to states that do not have their own provisions to comply with the Clean Power Plan. The model trading rules are designed to assist states wishing to adopt a trading system to comply with the CPP. The proposals are open for public comment for 90 days.

“IETA welcomes steps to enhance trading among states as part of the Clean Power Plan,” says IETA CEO & President Dirk Forrister. “Such a flexible approach to compliance can help reduce costs for business and consumers while still meeting environmental objectives – as well as introducing a price signal and incentives for clean investments.”

“The US is not alone in employing this method to cut emissions; emissions trading systems are already in place in China, the EU and South Korea, as well as 10 US states, with more in development around the world,” he adds. “Absent Congressional legislation, this is the next best option, and we look forward to engaging with the EPA as it seeks to finalize the federal plan.”

“Coupled with the proposed model trading guidelines, we look forward to seeing robust carbon markets developing throughout the US,” says Tom Lawler, IETA’s Washington, DC representative. “IETA will focus on working with our members and states over the coming months to further improve the trading guidelines and the federal plan. With these tools, the goals of the Clean Power Plan can be met at the lowest cost.”

Further information on the Clean Power Plan can be found on the EPA's website. 

Please download this press release here.