Clean Power Plan Phase 3 Stakeholder Process
Phase III began on August 3, 2015 when the EPA finalized the Clean Power Plan Rule to cut carbon pollution from existing power plants and was originally scheduled to end on September 6, 2016, the date an initial submittal was due. However, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay of the rule’s effectiveness on February 9th, 2016. States need not comply with Clean Power Plan’s deadlines while the stay is in effect.
ADEQ has decided to slow, but not stop, work on the Clean Power Plan. The department will focus on creating a “time capsule” to capture the progress made to date. It has also been ADEQ’s experience that federal plans rarely strike the appropriate balance between the benefits of the plan and impacts to our unique environment, economy, and communities. To that end, ADEQ, the stakeholder group, and the technical work group will continue efforts to ensure that Arizona is well positioned to produce a state plan and avoid the imposition of a federal plan.