Dive Brief:
- The Obama administration's plan to regulate existing power plants is set to go into effect within weeks, but lobbying to determine the final details remain in full force, EnergyWire reports.
- Several state regulators will meet with White House officials tomorrow in an effort to subtly alter the new carbon rules, the latest in a string of lobbying efforts that included a recent Sierra Club meeting with the Office of Management and Budget.
- Final Clean Power Plan regulations are expected out in August, with the federal government targeting a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Dive Insight:
While the industry eagerly awaits the final Clean Power Plan regulations, lobbying efforts at the 11th hour do continue.
Quoting unnamed participants in the meetings, EnergyWire gets behind the scenes and reports that the White House is still taking comment from a range of players. But the most interesting aspect isn't Who but How: the article describes one-way communication, where industry details their concern in front of an audience that gives little to no feedback.
Describing the meetings between industry and White House staff, EW writes: "The time is set at 30 minutes, and staff members from OMB, EPA, the Council on Environmental Quality and others are there to listen. If the attendees are lucky, a staffer may ask a clarifying question."
According to the news outlet, government officials have recently taken comment from: Edison Electric Institute; American Electric Power; DTE Energy, Berkshire Hathaway Energy; Duke Energy Corp.; National Climate Coalition; Sierra Club; Canadian Electricity Association; and a host of others,
