Across the United States today, power plants dump unlimited amounts of carbon pollution into our air. Though Maine has long been a leader in taking pro-active, self regulated steps to reducing our own carbon emissions, this is not so for every other state. Though these carbon emissions from electricity generating power plants are the primary driver of global warming and pollution, there is encouraging action in the works. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan has the potential to be the most significant step that the United States has taken to mitigate the effects of climate change.

So what is the Clean Power Plan? In accordance with legislation enacted by Congress, the Clean Power Plan is the set of rules which the Environmental Protection Agency created to make the Clean Air Act actually work. These rules are actually standards that we expect to be finalized and implemented in June. In a nutshell, the Plan reduces electricity produced carbon emissions by 30 percent between 2005 and 2030. It does this by establishing state-by-state targets for carbon emission reductions.

The Plan provides for a variety of options that states can use to reach their targets. By estimating the extent to which each state can take advantage of these options, an individual carbon reduction target rate is determined. States may combine any of these options in a flexible framework that will help them meet their targets, but they can also join together in regional efforts too, similar to what Maine and eight other northeastern and mid-Atlantic states have already done when we created the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Some examples of other options include: Renewable energy production, energy efficiency improvements, nuclear energy production and even fuel shifts from coal to natural gas.

In fact, Maine occupies a unique position among the states in the context of the Clean Power Plan. In addition to creating and participating in RGGI, we have set the pace as a leader in greenhouse gas emission reduction by enacting a robust Renewable Energy Portfolio to boost homegrown renewable energy production. Our carbon emissions in Maine are very low, so low that we likely we have little changes to make to meet the new Clean Power Plan. So then, why does it matter that we, as Mainers, support this?

For a state like Maine, the Clean Power Plan is especially welcome. Other states, which have continued to use dirty fuels at a lower cost, will now be guided towards cleaner fuels and lower emissions, just like Maine has already been doing. Maine, which has long been situated downwind of these dirty polluting states, will reap benefits both environmental and in terms of public health, as chronic diseases like diabetes, asthma and other respiratory illnesses will likely abate when less pollution created by other states flows over our own.

But, we will also benefit economically too. As a state that does not produce or import dirty fuels like coal, we found ourselves at a competitive energy price disadvantage. Now those carbon-emitting states will be replacing dirty and cheap fuel produced energy with cleaner options that also drive a more fair and competitive market.

In Maine and in every state, we need to support climate action solutions that lead us towards a new clean energy economy and improved public health. The Clean Power Plan maps out this energy future for all of us.

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Rep. Sara Gideon, DFreeport, is serving her second term in the Maine House of Representatives.