EPA stops work on climate rule compliance program

By Timothy Cama, The Hill.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stopped work Monday on writing an optional program that states could use to comply with the climate change rule for power plants.

Janet McCabe, the EPA’s top air regulator, announced the decision in a blog post, along with the draft, incomplete compliance plans and related documents.

EPA spokeswoman Melissa Harrison said the agency withdrew the rule so that it could release the drafts, which could help helpful to states looking to cut their emissions.

Usually, the documents would not be public until the rules are made final, but their future is uncertain under President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office in just over a month.

Trump has pledged to repeal the underlying Clean Power Plan, making the model rules moot.

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