The federal agency said it would hold meetings on its proposal, formally known as “Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units” on May 24.

One gathering will be held at the Ariel Rios East Building in Washington, DC while the other will convene at the Ralph H Metcalfe Federal Building in Chicago. Both will begin at 8.30am local time and conclude at 4.30pm.

The EPA instructed all wishing to attend that photo identification would be required. Attendees also face a metal detector security check.

A June 12 deadline set last month for input on the rulemaking has also been extended to June 25.

Should the EPA’s outlines become final, emissions from coal-fired power plants would be limited to 1000 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt hour of power produced.

Only new coal-fired facilities will be affected as existing plants are already being modified to meet other EPA mandates for emissions and will not be part of the planned standard.

Additionally, power facilities with building permits in place or with plans to commence construction within a year of the effective date of any resulting regulations will also be exempt, along with non-continental US territories and Hawaii.

To meet the standard, if passed, some form of carbon capture and sequestration, such as carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery, would be required.

Anyone who wishes to address either of the agency’s hearings must email garrett.pamela@epa.gov by May 18.