United States Senate

OFFERED
January 20, 2015
Senate Bill No. 8842
Principal Author: Elizabeth Ratliff
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
Coal-Generated Electricity Reduction (& Renewable Energy Growth) Act
PURPOSE SECTION
FOR the purpose of decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide produced as a byproduct of coalgenerated electricity, the United States of America may shut down the 37 oldest, least efficient
coal-fired power plants1 and replace them with renewable, cleaner and cheaper sources of
electricity, such as solar panels, wind turbines, and hydroelectricity.
PREAMBLE
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WHEREAS, Burning coal produces a quarter of US global warming emissions; and

accounts for 80% of nationwide carbon dioxide emissions2; and,

WHEREAS, There are currently more than 600 coal-fired power plants operating in the

United States, which provide half the nations consumed electricity3; and,

WHEREAS, Coal-fired electricity generating facilities are the largest single source of

greenhouse gases4, which are slowly destroying Earths atmosphere; and,

WHEREAS, Toxic substances in the waste of coal power plants include arsenic, mercury,

chromium, and cadmium, which all contaminate water supplies and damage vital body

organs; and,

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WHEREAS, Almost 3/4ths of coal power plants are more than 30 years old, and the

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average life of a coal power plant is 40 years, according to the National Association of

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Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), meaning that the large majority of coal

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power plants are less than 10 years away from reaching their life expectancy; and,

Ratliff, Elizabeth

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WHEREAS, America has the technologies and resources to reliably produce at least 40

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percent of our electricity from renewable energy sources within the next 20 years, and 80

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percent by 20505;

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THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS of THE UNITED STATES OF

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AMERICA that the *subcommittee of the Environmental Protection Agency will be

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required to oversee the process of abolishing and razing the oldest coal-fired power

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plants, then replacing them with renewable sources of energy, and to verify its

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completion.

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Section 1 - ENACTMENT CLAUSE

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The proposed solution is, over the course of 20 years, to shut down and demolish the 37

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oldest and ranked least efficient coal-fired power plants in the United States, while

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replacing those with cheaper, cleaner, and more efficient renewable sources of energy;

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these consist of mainly solar panels, some wind turbines, and hydroelectricity. Before the

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actual shut-down and demolition, in order to prevent the obvious problem of an energy

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shortage, the government will first construct vast amounts of renewable energy sources,

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mainly solar panels, dispersed about the country. The locations of these renewable energy

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sources will target the most sunlit states, such as Arizona, California, New Mexico,

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Nevada, and Texas6, in order for the solar panels to be most effective. Once the energy is

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produced in these states, it will be transferred throughout the US.

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These cleaner, cheaper, and more efficient sources are estimated to not only replenish the

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expected decrease in coal-generated energy, but also reliably produce at least 40 percent

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of the nations electricity from renewable energy sources within the next 20 years, and 80

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percent by 2050. Since these selected 37 power plants account for only approximately 6

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percent of the total recorded tally of more than 600 coal power plants7 in America, and

Ratliff, Elizabeth

Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at 1:32:10 PM Pacific Standard Time

70:56:81:af:f3:29

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since coal power plants provide half the nations consumed electricity, this means that the

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renewable energy sources replacing coal power plants must be capable of providing 3%

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of the nations electricity. As the renewable energy sources are able to reliably produce at

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least 40 percent of the nations electricity from renewable energy sources within the next

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20 years, they are definitely more than capable of providing 3% of the nations electricity

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beginning within the next 20 years. Since the renewable energy sources will be up and

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running before the shut-down of the coal power plants, the transition from coal-generated

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to renewable sources of energy will be very smooth.

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Section 2 - ENFORCEMENT

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This entire process of transitioning from coal-generated electricity to renewable sources

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of energy will be funded by an immediately implemented $0.08 per-gallon tax on vehicle

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fuel nationwide and the rest will come from profits. In 2013, approximately 134.5 billion

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gallons of gasoline were consumed by America8. In 2015, the price of gasoline has gone

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down drastically, meaning that Americans will likely consume more gasoline this year

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than in 2013. This means that with a $0.08 per-gallon tax placed on vehicle fuel, the

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government will be able to raise more than $10,760,000 to put towards this bill.

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The vehicle-fuel tax will apply starting when the bill takes effect until exactly 1 year

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from the bills enactment.

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The government agency overseeing the bill and its duties will be the Environmental

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Protection Agency, specifically its subcommittee. Once again, the subcommittee and

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organizations work will also be funded by the previously proposed $0.08 per-gallon

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vehicle fuel tax.

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For the project of shutting down and razing these selected coal power plants, the

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government will allocate $260,000 per coal power plant for their demolition and

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conversion to renewable energy sources. This will require approximately $9.62 billion,

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leaving $1.14 billion to fund the EPAs subcommittee, and the government organization

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that will be in charge of physically building renewable energy sources, such as large solar

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panel farms in the desert regions of the US.

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Section 3 - CLOSING SECTION

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This bill will take effect 30 days after passage of this bill; namely, during 2015 while gas

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prices are at historic lows due to conversion from shale reserves.

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SECTION 4. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Introduced by.

Ella Ratliff
Definitions & Sources:
*subcommittee = a committee composed of some members of a larger committee, board,
or other body and reporting to it
1 = http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Oldest_existing_coal_plants
2 = http://www.ucsusa.org/our-work/energy/smart-energy-solutions/smart-energysolutions-increase-renewable-energy#.VMchxlappuZ
3 = http://www.ucsusa.org/our-work/energy/smart-energy-solutions/smartenergy-solutions-decrease-coal-use
4 = http://www.ucsusa.org/our-work/energy/smart-energy-solutions/smartenergy-solutions-decrease-coal-use
5 = http://www.ucsusa.org/our-work/energy/smart-energy-solutions/smart-energy
solutions-increase-renewable-energy#.VMchxlappuZ
6 = http://www.currentresults.com/Weather-Extremes/US/sunniest.php

Ratliff, Elizabeth

Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at 1:32:10 PM Pacific Standard Time

70:56:81:af:f3:29

2010 Harvard Institute for Congressional Debate

7 = http://www.ucsusa.org/our-work/energy/smart-energy-solutions/smartenergy-solutions-decrease-coal-use
8 = http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=23&t=10

Ratliff, Elizabeth

Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at 1:32:10 PM Pacific Standard Time

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Legislation #1