As Introduced

130th General Assembly
Regular Session
2013-2014
H. B. No. 506


Representatives Thompson, Cera 

Cosponsors: Representatives Grossman, Hill, Stebelton, Blessing 



A BILL
To enact section 3704.20 of the Revised Code to 1
require the Director of Environmental Protection 2
to adopt rules establishing standards of 3
performance for carbon dioxide emissions from 4
existing coal-fired and natural gas-fired electric 5
generating units and to specify factors on which 6
the standards must be based.7


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1. That section 3704.20 of the Revised Code be 8
enacted to read as follows:9

       Sec. 3704.20.  (A) The director of environmental protection, 10
in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt 11
rules establishing standards of performance for carbon dioxide 12
emissions from existing coal-fired electric generating units in 13
compliance with division (B) of this section and from existing 14
natural gas-fired electric generating units in compliance with 15
division (C) of this section.16

       (B) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, 17
standards of performance for existing coal-fired electric 18
generating units shall be based on all of the following:19

       (1) The best system of emission reduction that, taking into 20
account the cost of achieving that reduction and any non-air 21
quality health and environmental impact and energy requirements, 22
has been adequately demonstrated for coal-fired electric 23
generating units that are subject to the standards of performance;24

       (2) Reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide that can 25
reasonably be achieved through measures undertaken at each 26
coal-fired electric generating unit; 27

       (3) Efficiency and other measures that can be undertaken at 28
each coal-fired electric generating unit to reduce carbon dioxide 29
emissions from the unit without changing from coal to other 30
lower-carbon fuels, co-firing other fuels with coal, or limiting 31
the economic utilization of the unit.32

       (C) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, 33
standards of performance for existing natural gas-fired electric 34
generating units shall be based on all of the following:35

       (1) The best system of emission reduction that, taking into 36
account the cost of achieving that reduction and any non-air 37
quality health and environmental impact and energy requirements, 38
has been adequately demonstrated for natural gas-fired electric 39
generating units that are subject to the standards of performance;40

       (2) Reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide that can 41
reasonably be achieved through measures undertaken at each natural 42
gas-fired electric generating unit;43

       (3) Efficiency and other measures that can be undertaken at 44
each natural gas-fired electric generating unit to reduce carbon 45
dioxide emissions from the unit without changing from natural gas 46
to other lower-carbon fuels or limiting the economic utilization 47
of the unit.48

       (D) In establishing a standard of performance for an existing 49
coal-fired or natural gas-fired electric generating unit, the 50
director shall consider whether to adopt less stringent standards 51
or longer compliance schedules than those established in 52
applicable federal regulations or guidelines based on all of the 53
following:54

       (1) Consumer impacts, including any disproportionate impacts 55
of energy price increases on lower income populations;56

       (2) Unreasonable costs of reducing emissions resulting from 57
plant age, location, or basic process design;58

       (3) Physical difficulties with or the impossibility of 59
implementing emission reduction measures;60

       (4) The absolute cost of applying the performance standard to 61
the unit;62

       (5) The expected remaining useful life of the unit;63

       (6) Impacts of closing the unit, including economic impacts 64
such as expected job losses, if the unit is unable to comply with 65
the performance standard;66

       (7) Impacts on the reliability of the state's electrical 67
grid;68

       (8) All actual reductions in carbon dioxide emissions 69
beginning January 1, 2005;70

       (9) Any other factors specific to the unit that make 71
application of a less stringent standard or longer compliance 72
schedule more reasonable.73

       (E) The director may implement, to the maximum extent 74
permissible, the standards of performance established in rules 75
adopted under this section through mechanisms that provide 76
flexibility in complying with the standards.77

       (F) Any plan establishing standards of performance for 78
existing coal-fired or natural gas-fired electric generating units 79
developed under this section shall be prepared in consultation 80
with the public utilities commission of Ohio created in Chapter 81
4901. of the Revised Code, the Ohio air quality development 82
authority created in Chapter 3706. of the Revised Code, and any 83
other relevant agency to ensure that the plan does not threaten 84
the affordability of electric power to all classes of electricity 85
consumers, takes full advantage of the federal Clean Air Act as 86
defined in section 3704.01 of the Revised Code to minimize impacts 87
to the cost and reliability of electricity, and minimizes the 88
impacts on current and future industrial, commercial, and 89
residential consumers.90

       (G) The director shall not propose or submit to the United 91
States environmental protection agency any plan establishing 92
standards of performance for existing coal-fired or natural 93
gas-fired electric generating units that is inconsistent with this 94
section.95

       Section 2.  Any plan establishing standards of performance 96
for existing coal-fired or natural gas-fired electric generating 97
units developed under section 3704.20 of the Revised Code, as 98
enacted by this act, ceases to operate if the United States 99
Environmental Protection Agency fails to adopt regulations or 100
issue guidelines for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from 101
existing coal-fired or natural gas-fired electric generating units 102
under Section 111(d) of the federal Clean Air Act or if such 103
regulations or guidelines are withdrawn by the Agency or 104
invalidated by a court.105