Democrats from Coal Dependent States Should Join Inhofe’s Effort to Protect Constituents from Skyrocketing Electricity Prices, says National Center for Public Policy Research
Senator James Inhofe
Washington, D.C. — Policy experts from the National Center for Public Policy Research are urging bipartisan support for a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) introduced today by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) that will stop implementation of the EPA’s Utility MACT rule.
“President Obama is using the EPA to wage a war on coal-fired electricity, which will bring about his promise to make electricity prices skyrocket. It’s time for Senators, especially from coal dependent states, to put their constituents’ well-being ahead of party loyalty,” said Tom Borelli, Ph.D., director of the National Center’s Free Enterprise project.
Tom Borelli, Ph.D.
“Senators Robert Casey (D-PA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) must join Inhofe in a bipartisan effort to block the EPA’s regulatory madness,” added Tom Borelli.
Many Midwestern states derive most of their electricity production from coal-fired power plants, with some states getting over 80 percent from coal. Compliance costs from the EPA’s Utility MACT and Cross State Air Pollution rules are frequently cited as the reason for closing a significant number of coal-based power plants. The impact of these regulations is expected to cause double-digit increases in electricity prices.
The EPA estimated the Utility MACT rule will cost about $10 billion a year. The added costs will be passed on to consumers and businesses.
Deneen Borelli, Fellow, Project 21
“President Obama’s war on coal is an attack on hardworking Americans. With gasoline prices already stretching family budgets the last thing middle, low and fixed income households need are skyrocketing electricity rates. Higher electricity prices will also force jobs overseas,” said Deneen Borelli, fellow of the National Center–sponsored African-American leadership group Project 21.
“A recent study found energy costs for half of American households have almost doubled since 2001 taking 20 percent of their after tax income. Lower income Americans are hit harder and are least able to handle the additional economic burden from the EPA’s new regulations. The Senate must step up and support Inhofe’s resolution of disapproval to block the Utility MACT rule,” added Deneen Borelli.
Under the CRA, Congress can overturn a regulation if both chambers approve the joint resolution of disapproval by a majority vote and signed into law by the President.
The National Center for Public Policy Research, founded in 1982, is a non-partisan, free-market, independent conservative think-tank with over 100,000 recent supporters. Contributions to it are tax-deductible and greatly appreciated.
AFS/GMS via National Center for Public Policy Research
the Boiler MACT regulations would prove to be a great threat to a number of businesses around the nation. While they are meant to protect Boiler MACT as with some other regulations actually destroy the one thing they are meant to protect, labour and jobs. For instance Boiler MACT is estimated to cost somewhere in the neighborhood of 16,000 jobs if/when enacted(http://bit.ly/tuZtjR). If we want to have a real economic uptick, a balance between regulatory policies and business operations would help us get over the hump that we have of job killing regulations and ensure our future in a state of economic recovery.
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