News Summary: White House defends power plant rule
News Summary: Obama officials say power plant proposal will not kill coal-fired power
COAL'S FUTURE: President Barack Obama's top energy and environmental officials say there is a future for coal, despite a pending regulation aimed at limiting global warming pollution from new power plants that Republicans and the coal industry say will doom the fuel source.
BACKGROUND: The EPA is under a Friday deadline to release an updated proposal that would set the first-ever limits on carbon dioxide from new power plants. The rule will ultimately also force the EPA to tackle emissions from existing plants. It's a key part of Obama's climate change strategy.
INDUSTRY: The proposal's requirements would likely make it difficult for energy companies to build new coal-fired plants in the U.S. Coal makes up about 40 percent of U.S. electricity.
