Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear says proposed federal regulations on carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants provide the state with some “flexibility” in meeting government targets.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced this month that the nation must reduce carbon emissions created by burning coal by 30 percent.
“I am glad that the EPA recognized that states need flexibility," said Beshear. "We tried to make that point with them over and over again as they developed this rule. What I’m concerned about is they, I’m not sure they’ve given us as much flexibility as we need.”
For his part, Beshear says he’s concerned about the impact on coal jobs, which are at their lowest point in decades.
“We all want a clean environment, and I think we all share that goal," said Beshear. "It’s a difference in balance and how we phase in those standards and how we can reach them, and at the same time keep coal jobs in the coal fields and keep manufacturing jobs in Kentucky.”
An analysis by Bloomberg’s New Energy Finance research arm found that Kentucky could actually be able to increase its carbon emissions up to 4 percent under the EPA rules.
