President Barak Obama’s proposal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent by the year 2030 has been characterized as one the most ambitious attempts by the government to curtail pollution since the Clean Air Act of 1970.
Announced on Monday by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy, the proposal targets coal-fired power plants, which are some of the largest producers of carbon dioxide in the nation. Under the new rule, these point-source facilities would first be offered an incentive to reduce emissions, before being subjected to a penalty.
States would also be encouraged to add more solar and wind power sources to their energy grid, as a way to reduce their dependency on coal power plants. Alternately, states could opt into a cap-and-trade plan that would allow them to buy and trade pollution credits until plants are shut down or brought into accordance with emission standards.
The agency estimates that this plan will cost $7.3 to $8.8 billion to implement but could lead to economic benefits ranging from $55-$93 billion by its end. Health benefits of the plan could reduce as many as 150,000 asthma attacks in children and prevent almost 7,000 premature deaths linked to respiratory diseases by 2030.
Peter DeCarlo, PhD, an assistant professor in Drexel’s College of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences, is available to address the environmental impacts of this proposal. DeCarlo is an expert in environmental engineering and chemistry who has performed air quality measurements all over the world and has visited with many Congressional offices to discuss climate change and air quality issues.
DeCarlo can address the following topics:
- Understanding carbon dioxide emissions
- Long term impact to global climate and air quality
- Historical context of environmental policy
DeCarlo holds a doctorate degree in atmospheric science and has published extensively in the areas of atmospheric aerosols (particulate matter), air quality, and climate. He is the director of the Drexel Air Resources Research Laboratory.
***To schedule an interview with DeCarlo, contact Britt Faulstick in the Office of University Communications, bef29@drexel.edu ***
