The much-anticipated Clean Power Plan final rule is expected this week, plus more news, this week in CIB:

Washington Watch: Clean Power Plan Expected This Week

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to announce its final rule for carbon dioxide emissions reductions (the “Clean Power Plan”) this week – perhaps as early as today. Under the proposed rule released for comment last year, the plan is built around state-by-state implementation of carbon emission reduction strategies. States will be given a reduction target and general guidelines and empowered to develop their own plans. States that decline, or fail to do so by a 2016 deadline, would have a plan imposed by EPA.

As of Friday, analysts were predicting that the final rule would delay the effective date for state plans from 2020 to 2022, to give states more time to implement their plans, and would have additional supports announced for renewable energy development. Some analysts suggest that the extended implementation phase may favor additional renewable energy development over the simple conversion from coal-generated electricity to currently cheaper natural gas. Legal challenges to the final rule from intransigent opponents are guaranteed, but rule supporters note that the U.S. Supreme Court has already upheld the authority of EPA under the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon emissions.

At the state level in North Carolina, legislative debate is expected to intensify over the different approaches favored in the House and Senate. A bipartisan majority of the NC House supported legislation mandating a broad stakeholder process for developing a state plan. In contrast, the NC Senate leadership is currently pushing legislation which would prohibit any state agency action toward developing a plant until the multi-year process of legal challenges is complete. The McCrory Administration’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Donald van der Vaart sides with those who believe that the EPA’s rule will be thrown out by the courts, and that it would be a waste of resources for the state to develop a plan.

This foot-dragging approach would effectively hand over the future of clean air and clean energy policy in North Carolina to the federal government. Clean energy and conservation advocates will continue to urge Governor McCrory to show leadership and weigh in on the side of state action, but thus far he has shown no indication of doing so.

If that failure of executive leadership continues, it will be a serious loss for our state. In addition to the health benefits of reduced air pollution, studies are showing that states can actually save money for their residents on their electric bills by implementing a state Clean Power Plan.

Campaign Watch: Contact Burr on Clean Power

Advocacy for action to address climate change, via the Clean Power Plan, also continues at the federal level with a focus on members of Congress. Some members of Congress, including North Carolina Senator Richard Burr, have vocally opposed the Clean Power Plan and supported various legislative efforts to impede its development at the federal level.

Last week, the national League of Conservation Voters (LCV) announced ad campaigns targeting Burr and Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson on the issue, asking their respective constituents to contact the Senators in support of the Clean Power Plan. The ads criticize Burr’s opposition to the plan and highlight its health and economic benefits.

Climate Action NC, a project of NCLCV, followed up later in the week with a “Day of Action” rally in Raleigh to call on Burr, NC Governor Pat McCrory, and other leaders to support the plan. State Representatives Shelly Willingham, Graig Meyer, and Pricey Harrison were among the rally participants. Harrison said, “The Clean Power Plan offers a commonsense solution to help combat climate change, reduce carbon emissions and protect our planet for generations to come. We need to embrace the flexibility of the Clean Power Plan while simultaneously creating a clean energy economy right here in North Carolina.”

Administrative Watch: Tata Exits Transportation

Just weeks after stomping on rumors that he would leave his post to prepare a campaign for Congress, N.C. Transportation Secretary Tony Tata abruptly resigned last week. Tata cited work pressures, family, and his stepped-up writing career in the timing of his departure.

Speculation also continues that Tata will seek a seat in Congress next year, possibly challenging one of two incumbent Republicans from North Carolina, Walter Jones Jr. or Renee Elmers.

Tata’s place as NC Transportation Secretary was taken on at least an interim basis by Chief Deputy Secretary Nick Tennyson. Tennyson is a former mayor of Durham, and subsequently served as the long-time executive director of the Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties. Both Tennyson and NC Rep. Charles Jeter (R-Mecklenburg) are reportedly interested in appointment as the next NC Secretary of Transportation.

Transportation Secretary is an important post for the environment. Road- and bridge-building often have substantial environmental impacts, which can either be exacerbated or mitigated in the planning and placement process. In addition, the leader of the Transportation Department can influence whether it is supportive of greener transportation alternatives (such as transit, rail, and cycling) or an impediment to their development.

Legislative Watch: No Hurry

The North Carolina state budget is now more than a month overdue, and public school systems around the state still don’t know the answer to questions like how many teaching assistants they’ll be able to pay when classes start later this month. It’s been more than a decade since the state budget was this late.

Naturally, there’s the usual amount of finger-pointing casting blame around Raleigh. Still, to judge by their actions, there’s no real sense of urgency among key legislative leaders. Following the Independence Day holiday break week, a number of key legislators left the state in late July to attend a meeting of the notoriously anti-environmental corporate lobbying network, ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council).

They’re back in town now. Whether they’re all raring to go is less certain. Perhaps they will be, when they return again after Labor Day at the beach.

Education & Resources: Trees Are Good for Your Health

The idea that trees and greenery ease tension and promote better health is not surprising. Even among those who agree that this is a common sense notion, however, it may raise eyebrows to learn how quantifiable that relationship is. A recent study of greenspace in a major metro area (Toronto) concludes that an average of just 10 more street trees per city block is worth the health equivalent to residents of being seven years younger. The relationship between more trees and better health holds in neighborhoods across economic lines. To see the details of this ringing endorsement of urban forestry, see here.

That’s our report for this week.