Power Sector Regulations Project
Project objectives
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Department of Commerce are collaborating to gather necessary tools and information to help the State develop and plan to meet recent and upcoming electric utility sector rules (Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, new National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), Mercury and Air Toxics Rule, Greenhouse Gas New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), Coal Combustion Residues Rule) in a coordinated and cost-effective way.
With assumptions defined in coordination between EPA and participants in the Power Sector Regulations Project, EPA will provide analytical resources (modeling and/or other appropriate technical assistance) that will:
- Explore how compliance costs can be reduced by:
- Integrating control strategies
- Multi-pollutant strategies
- Deploying energy efficiency/renewable energy/combined heat and power (CHP)
- Examine reliability issues
- Analyze air quality benefits and GHG impacts
- Study employment impacts
Desired outcomes
- Recommendations to the State for a process or plan that will lead covered sources to a responsible compliance strategy that meets all regulations, ensures reliability, mitigates costs and incorporates EE/RE/CHP.
- An estimate of how compliance strategies will affect air quality in the state.
- An estimate of how compliance strategies will affect greenhouse gas emissions in the state.
- An estimate of how compliance strategies will affect the state economy.
Meeting documents
August 19, 2011
MN Power Sector Rules and Notes (aq-ppt3-06)- General Meeting Notes (aq-p2-01)
- State Policies Affecting MN Power Sector (aq-ppt3-07)
- Key EPA Power Sector Rulemakings (aq-ppt3-03)
- Greenhouse Gas Performance Standards (aq-ppt3-01)
- IPM Modeling Overview for MN Pilot Project (aq-ppt3-02)
- Modeling Group Presentation (aq-ppt3-05)
- Mercury Controls Comparison (aq-ppt3-04)
September 6, 2011
- Overview of Proposed Modeling Assumptions (aq-ppt3-08)
September 16, 2011
- CSAPR: Better-than-BART for Regional Haze (aq-ppt3-09)
September 27, 2011
- Power Sector EPA Rules Project, meeting agenda 9/27/11 (aq-ppt3-10a)
- CSAPR: Reducing Air Pollution, Protecting Public Health (aq-ppt3-10c)
- Allowance allocation under the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (aq-ppt3-10b)
- A Closer Look at GHG Performance Standards (aq-ppt3-10e)
- MISO Analysis of Rule Impacts (aq-ppt3-10d)
- Straw Process Timeline 9/27/11 (aq-ppt3-10f)
September 29, 2011
- Minnesota Base Case Assumptions (aq-ppt3-10g)
Resources
All calls are being recorded and archives are held for one month following the call. If you would like to access these files, please contact Anne Claflin, 651-757-2277, anne.claflin@state.mn.us.
Contact information
For questions about the Power Sector Regulations Project, contact Anne Claflin, 651-757-2277, anne.claflin@state.mn.us.
