pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and set an interim goal for a 30% reduction in GHGs within FirstEnergy’s direct operational control by 2030, based on 2019 levels. Future resource plans to achieve carbon reductions, including any determination of retirement dates of the regulated coal-fired generation, will be developed by working collaboratively with regulators in West Virginia. Determination of the useful life of the regulated coal-fired generation could result in changes in depreciation, and/or continued collection of net plant in rates after retirement, securitization, sale, impairment, or regulatory disallowances. If MP is unable to recover these costs, it could have a material adverse effect on FirstEnergy’s and/or MP’s financial condition, results of operations, and cash flow. Furthermore, FirstEnergy cannot currently estimate the financial impact of climate change policies, although potential legislative or regulatory programs restricting CO2 emissions, or litigation alleging damages from GHG emissions, could require material capital and other expenditures or result in changes to its operations. In December 2009, the EPA released its final “Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for GHGs under the Clean Air Act,” concluding that concentrations of several key GHGs constitute an “endangerment” and may be regulated as “air pollutants” under the CAA and mandated measurement and reporting of GHG emissions from certain sources, including electric generating plants. Subsequently, the EPA released its final CPP regulations in August 2015 to reduce CO2 emissions from existing fossil fuel-fired EGUs and finalized separate regulations imposing CO2 emission limits for new, modified, and reconstructed fossil fuelfired EGUs. Numerous states and private parties filed appeals and motions to stay the CPP with the D.C. Circuit in October 2015. On February 9, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court stayed the rule during the pendency of the challenges to the D.C. Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court. On March 28, 2017, an executive order, entitled “Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth,” instructed the EPA to review the CPP and related rules addressing GHG emissions and suspend, revise or rescind the rules if appropriate. On June 19, 2019, the EPA repealed the CPP and replaced it with the ACE rule that established guidelines for states to develop standards of performance to address GHG emissions from existing coal-fired generation. On January 19, 2021, the D.C. Circuit vacated and remanded the ACE rule declaring that the EPA was “arbitrary and capricious” in its rule making and, as such, the ACE rule is no longer in effect and all actions thus far taken by states to implement the federally mandated rule are now null and void. Vacating the ACE Rule had the unintended effect of reinstating the CPP because the repeal of the CPP was a provision within the ACE Rule. The D.C. Circuit decision was appealed by several states and interested parties, including West Virginia, arguing that the EPA did not have the authorization under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act to require “generation shifting” as a way to limit GHGs. On June 30, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the EPA’s regulation of GHGs under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act was not authorized by Congress and remanded the Rule to the EPA for further reconsideration. Clean Water Act Various water quality regulations, the majority of which are the result of the federal CWA and its amendments, apply to FirstEnergy’s facilities. In addition, the states in which FirstEnergy operates have water quality standards applicable to FirstEnergy’s operations. On September 30, 2015, the EPA finalized new, more stringent effluent limits for the Steam Electric Power Generating category (40 CFR Part 423) for arsenic, mercury, selenium and nitrogen for wastewater from wet scrubber systems and zero discharge of pollutants in ash transport water. The treatment obligations were to phase-in as permits are renewed on a five-year cycle from 2018 to 2023. However, on April 13, 2017, the EPA granted a Petition for Reconsideration and on September 18, 2017, the EPA postponed certain compliance deadlines for two years. On August 31, 2020, the EPA issued a final rule revising the effluent limits for discharges from wet scrubber systems, retaining the zero-discharge standard for ash transport water, (with some limited discharge allowances), and extending the deadline for compliance to December 31, 2025 for both. In addition, the EPA allows for less stringent limits for sub-categories of generating units based on capacity utilization, flow volume from the scrubber system, and unit retirement date. The EPA is reconsidering the ELG rule with a publicly announced target of issuing a proposed revised rule in the Spring of 2023 and a final rule later in 2023. In the interim, the rule issued on August 31, 2020, remains in effect. Depending on the outcome of appeals and how final rules are ultimately implemented, the compliance with these standards, could require additional capital expenditures or changes in operation at the Ft. Martin and Harrison power stations from what was approved by the WVPSC in September 2022 to comply with the ELG rule. Regulation of Waste Disposal Federal and state hazardous waste regulations have been promulgated as a result of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, and the Toxic Substances Control Act. Certain CCRs, such as coal ash, were exempted from hazardous waste disposal requirements pending the EPA’s evaluation of the need for future regulation. In April 2015, the EPA finalized regulations for the disposal of CCRs (non-hazardous), establishing national standards for landfill design, structural integrity design and assessment criteria for surface impoundments, groundwater monitoring and protection procedures and other operational and reporting procedures to assure the safe disposal of CCRs from electric generating plants. On September 13, 2017, the EPA announced that it would reconsider certain provisions of the final regulations. On July 29, 2020, the EPA published a final rule again revising the date that certain CCR impoundments must cease accepting waste and initiate closure to April 11, 2021. The final rule also allows for an extension of the closure deadline based on meeting proscribed site-specific criteria. On November 30, 2020, AE Supply submitted a closure deadline extension request to the EPA seeking to extend the cease accepting waste date for the McElroy's Run CCR impoundment facility until 2024, which request is pending 63
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