EPA’s top air regulator said the agency is open to giving power companies more time to shut down their carbon-emitting plants — the strongest signal yet the agency could significantly weaken its proposed rule amid pressure from fossil fuel states, electric reliability officials and utilities.
Joe Goffman, principal deputy assistant administrator for EPA’s air office, also told attendees of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners winter conference on Monday that they will likely be “surprised” by how the final rule looks compared to the agency’s initial proposal.
Agency officials “are the beneficiaries of a lot of very thoughtful, well reasoned and well supported comments about the importance of ensuring that there is enough time and flexibility for utilities” to make investments and decisions in compliance with the rule, Goffman said.
“We see the question of the time horizon as part of a larger fabric of flexibility,” he added.
