Governor Jay Inslee released a statement on On April 25th's announcement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of new rules that will severely limit planet-warming pollution from the nation's power plants.

“These new EPA rules are profound tools in the fight against pollution and climate change. With the power sector accounting for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions, addressing pollution and requiring cleaner energy will serve our economy and bring environmental justice to our communities.

“These rules require coal and new gas plants to cut their carbon emissions by 90%. They’ll also require coal plants to slash harmful emissions of mercury & air toxics by nearly 70%, reduce their pollution in wastewater, and safely manage coal ash contamination.

“We still need to address carbon emissions from existing gas plants. EPA Administrator Regan has already announced he will initiate rulemaking by the end of this year to close this gap. We look forward to partnering with EPA to develop strong standards that effectively reduce harm caused by methane gas.

”These rules help but do not obviate the need for state action on climate. The state’s Climate Commitment Act continues to be the most powerful tool we have in Washington to restrain carbon pollution.”