Indiana joins states, industry trade groups filing lawsuit against EPA carbon rule

A group of states co-led by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is suing the Environmental Protection Agency over its recent carbon rule.

Republican attorneys general from more than half of U.S. states and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association filed similar lawsuits on Thursday.

The EPA rule would require many new gas and existing coal plants to either eliminate or capture 90 percent of their carbon emissions by 2032. If power plants commit to retirement by 2032, they have no new emissions standards. For plants that commit to retirement by 2039, they must reduce emissions by 16 percent by 2032.

To do so would require the installation of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies – which capture carbon emissions before they are released into the atmosphere.

The EPA said this technology is cost-effective and a good solution. But some opponents said it is too costly and not ready to be placed in plants across the country for mass-scale use.

Opponents also said this would require building new infrastructure and facilities for the technology that would be costly and require more land.

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana Two-Way. Text “Indiana” to 765-275-1120. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on climate solutions and climate change at ipbs.org/climatequestions.

In a statement, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita said these new rules could decrease reliable energy sources and increase energy bill prices for Hoosiers.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said in a statement these CCS technologies would “radically transform” the nation’s electric grid. He said the EPA does not have the jurisdiction to require this.

Violet is our daily news reporter. Contact her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @ComberWilen.