E.P.A. Says It Will Change Rules Governing Industrial Pollution

[december]

The Bush EPA has new rules involving power plant improvements (http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/23/politics/23POLL.html?ex=1038805200&en=a246c1e26e34ebfc&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE). As I understand it, the old rules required that if a power plant was making certain modernization, it was required to simultaneously make other changes to reduce emissions. The new rule relaxes that requirement. The Bush administration today announced the most sweeping move in a decade to loosen industrial air pollution rules. The administration said the changes would encourage plant improvements that would clean the air.

But critics denounced the changes as a retreat from tougher rules now in place that require factories to make costly investments in pollution control equipment when they modernize.

The announcement of the new rules triggered a storm of criticism from environmentalists...I don't trust either side. Of course, the Bush Administration will claim that their rule change will reduce pollution by encouraging plant modernization. Naturally, Democrats and environmental activists will attack any Republican change that they can.

So, which is it? Will the new rules increase or decrease power plant pollution?

[squeegee]

I'd like to hear Anthracite's take on this, if she's willing.

[Neurotik]

I think it will help. Part of the problem with a lot of mid-west power plants is that they are so old. They refuse to modernize, and instead just keep replacing old parts because modernization would cost so much.

So it's a question of, would partial modernization do more good than no modernization at all? I think the answer is yes.

But yeah, Anthracite will be the authority since this is mostly a coal burning plant issue.

[squeegee]

Ah, I see this has been discussed previously (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=120434&highlight=coal+AND+pollution), and Anthracite did indeed weigh in.