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Restricting Fossil-Fuel Powered Electric Plants

MCLI Recommendation: “States could adopt restrictions on new coal-fired power plants (e.g., emission limits or CCS requirements).”

LPDD Recommendation: “States could impose an outright ban on new coal-fired generation and/or a formal limit on new natural gas generation additions.”

LPDD Recommendation: “States with restrictions on new coal-fired power plants could adopt more stringent limitations, including not only emissions at the smokestack, but also on a life-cycle basis (at the mine or during transit, at the wellhead, along the pipeline, and in conjunction with storage).”

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24 resources

Example States and State Governments

New York CO2 Limits on Power Plants

In May 2019 the Department of Environmental Conservation adopted new CO2 limits that will effectively ban coal plants in 2020.
Example Public Utilities

California IRP Proceedings on Climate Targets, Energy Mix

In February 2022, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) adopted a 35 million metric ton (MMT) 2032 electric sector greenhouse gas planning target, which is more stringent than the previous...
Example States and State Governments

New Mexico’s Energy Transition Act

New Mexico’s Energy Transition Act (2019) amends the state’s renewable portfolio standard to target 80% renewable energy by 2040 and 100% zero carbon energy by 2045, effectively phasing out fossil fue...
Example States and State Governments

Washington’s Coal Phaseout

In 2019, Washington passed SB 5116, which will require utilities in Washington to stop buying electricity generated from coal by the end of 2025 or face penalties. The Utilities and Transportation Com...
Example States and State Governments

Montana’s HB 25

Montana’s HB 25 created a GHG emissions performance standard that applies to acquisition of an equity interest or lease in electric power-generating units primarily fueled with coal in the state, requ...
Example Public Utilities

Arizona Carbon-Free 2050 Utility Target

Throughout 2020, the Arizona Corporation Commission developed plans for an update to the state’s Renewable Energy Standard that would require utilities to fully decarbonize their electricity supply by...
Example States and State Governments

Virginia’s Clean Economy Act, SB 851 (2020)

Virginia’s Clean Econony Act (SB 851) requires Dominion Virginia (the state’s dominant utility) and the smaller Appalachian Power Co. to supply 30 percent of their power from renewables by 2030, and t...
Example States and State Governments

California’s SB 100

In 2018, California passed Senate Bill 100, requiring 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2045, effectively phasing out coal and natural gas.
Example States and State Governments

New Jersey’s Executive Order 28

In 2019, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order 28, directing the development of an updated Energy Master Plan (EMP) for the state to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2050, effectively phasing out ...
Example States and State Governments

Oregon’s SB 1547

Oregon’s SB 1547 (2016) created an explicit prohibition on the use of coal power by investor-owned utilities as of 2030.
Model Law States and State Governments

LPDD Model Law: State Legislation to Decarbonize the Generation of Electricity

This model state electric decarbonization statute is based on 2019 legislation enacted in Washington State, the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA), which commits that state to a retail electricity...
Example States and State Governments

California’s SB 1368

California’s SB 1368 (2007) prohibited any new long-term investment by a California load-serving entity in a generating facility with smokestack emissions exceeding a level to be jointly determined by...
Example States and State Governments

Hawaii’s Coal Ban (2020)

Senate Bill 2629 (2020) bans coal burning in Hawaii by 2022, which coincides with the date AES Hawaii is expected to shutter Hawaii’s last coal-burning plant. Hawaii’s only coal-burning power station ...
Resource States and State Governments

Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act

This 900-page energy and climate bill, passed in September 2021, covers a variety of subject areas, listed below: On electricity: The bill raises the renewable portfolio standard to require 40 percent...
Resource Foreign

Report, Phasing-Out Ontario’s Gas-Fired Power Plants: A Roadmap

The Ontario Clean Air Alliance’s 2020 report, Phasing-Out Ontario’s Gas-Fired Power Plants, presents an informative analysis of how a foreign jurisdiction might phase-out its gas plants. The study’s r...
Example States and State Governments

Hawaii’s HB 623

In June 2015, Hawaii enacted HB 623, a law requiring all electric power to come from renewable sources by 2045, effectively phasing out fossil fuels from electricity production.
Resource Executive Branch

Report, Climate Reregulation in a Biden Administration

This August 2020 report from the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law charts a course for executive action that, under a new presidential administration, would reverse the deregulatory agenda of the Tr...
Example States and State Governments

Illinois’ Clean Coal Portfolio Standard Law

Illinois’ SB 1987, the Clean Coal Portfolio Standard Law, required that new power plants using coal as their primary feedstock must utilize CCS. The legislation set a compliance schedule beginning at ...
Example States and State Governments

North Carolina’s Electric-Sector Carbon Reduction Legislation

In October 2021, the North Carolina legislature passed H.951, which set the state’s first targets for cutting electricity-sector carbon emissions, with a goal to bring emissions down 70 percent below ...
Example States and State Governments

Washington’s GHG Performance Standards for Baseload Electric

In 2009, Washington adopted a GHG performance standard for new in-state baseload electric power generation utilities, codified at WAC 173-407-130 at 1,100 pounds CO2/MWh (based on expected emissions f...
Example States and State Governments

Maine LD 1679 (2019)

Maine’s LD 1679 effectively phases out fossil fuels from electricity production through the following actions: Establishes the Maine Climate Change Council to assist Maine to mitigate, prepare for and...
Example States and State Governments

New Jersey’s SCR 179

New Jersey legislators have proposed a ballot measure that would ask voters whether to amend the state’s constitution to ban new fossil fuel fired plants.
Example States and State Governments

Rhode Island’s Executive Order 20-01 (2020)

In January 2020, Rhode Island’s governor signed an executive order setting a goal for the state to source all of its electricity from renewable resources by the end of 2030. The order directs the stat...
Example States and State Governments

New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act

New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act increased the ambition of the state’s Renewable Portfolio standard to target 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and 100 percent carbon-...