Ratepayer Protection Act of 2015

Ratepayer Protection Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill extends compliance deadlines for rules under the Clean Air Act that address carbon dioxide emissions from existing fossil fuel-fired power plants pending final judicial review. This extension applies to any final rule that succeeds either:

• the proposed rule entitled "Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units"; or
• the supplemental proposed rule entitled "Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: EGUs in Indian Country and U.S. Territories; Multi-Jurisdictional Partnerships."

The extension period begins 60 days after the notice of promulgation of a final rule appears in the Federal Register and ends when the rule is no longer subject to judicial appeal or review.

The bill urges the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in promulgating, implementing, or enforcing the rules, to address how the megawatt hours discharged from a pumped hydroelectric storage system will be incorporated into implementation plans adopted pursuant to the rules.

(Sec. 3) A state is not required to submit or follow an implementation plan that addresses carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants if it determines that the plan would have a significant adverse effect on: (1) the state's residential, commercial, or industrial ratepayers; or (2) the reliability of the state's electricity system.

(Sec. 4) The EPA must treat hydropower as renewable energy when implementing or enforcing the rules.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov