As the Polar Vortex was pummeling the nation with sub-Arctic temperatures, the Environmental Protection Agency this week issued its draft rule for new power plants. This is the first foray into regulating greenhouse gas emissions at the national level for new power plants. The EPA will be taking comments for 60 days, but this is considered close to final. In addition to this rule making, the EPA will be working with states to advise them on credit schemes that use clean technologies to replace retiring plants and reduce the need for additional fossil fuel generation. The rule is available here.