Tom Carper Proposes Actually Reducing Air Pollution

Senator Tom Carper yesterday announced his latest alternative to President Sluggo's "Clear Skies" initiative. The News Journal reports that, unlike the BushCo plan, Carper's proposal would actually reduce emissions:

Under Carper's proposal, U.S. power plants would be required to reduce mercury emissions by 90 percent by 2015 and cap carbon dioxide levels at 2006 levels by the end of the decade. They would then be required to roll back these emissions to 2001 levels by 2015.
In addition, the bill would require a more than 80 percent reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions and a 70 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions by 2015.

Carper visited a coal-fired power plant owned by a company that has plans to reduce mercury emissions:

Meanwhile, the NRG Energy Co., which owns and operates the Indian River Power Plant near Millsboro, is talking about significant upgrades to the plant aimed at reducing pollution levels there.
Carper made his announcement with the Indian River plant as his backdrop.

Those who think only of the costs of environmental protection, might be confused by these comments by Ray Long of NRG:

Long said with new state pollution standards in the works, traditional pollution upgrades could cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Building a coal gasification plant would cost $1 billion, he said.
"Therein lies the opportunity," he said.

You mean you can make money improving the environment? Maybe someone could explain this to our MBA president.