EPA’s Attack on Power Plants, Coal, and Federalism
Today in the News
EPA POWER PLANT REGS – MARLO LEWIS
Globalwarming.org: EPA’s ‘Carbon Pollution Standard’: Bait-and-Fuel-Switch
Congressional efforts to rein in EPA — particularly Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval to overturn EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Rule and Sen. James Inhofe’s Energy Tax Prevention Act – would have gained more traction had EPA fessed up in 2009, 2010, or even 2011 that, come 2012, it would promulgate CO2 performance standards that no commercially viable coal plant could meet.
It’s an old story, but one that can’t be told too often. EPA is legislating climate policy – implementing an agenda the people’s representatives have not approved and would reject if put to a vote.
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) has vowed to kill the “carbon pollution standard” via a Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval (Greenwire, subscription required). For those of us who still respect the separation of powers, ’tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.
ANTI-INDUSTRIAL LEGAL COMPLEX – WILLIAM YEATMAN
Globalwarming.org: Energy Policymaking in the Obama Age: The Anti-Industrial Legal Complex
EPA is now waging a regulatory war on the coal industry. The Agency is imposing a series of senseless regulations that serve no public health purpose, and whose only function seems to be to price coal out of the electricity market.
CEI’s William Yeatman points to Georgia as a prime example of EPA and environmentalist intervention.
In order to meet the Peach State’s growing demand, a consortium of local utilities decided to build two coal fired power plants. Twice, Georgia public officials approved air permits for one coal fired power plant in Washington County. And twice, these State decisions were effectively invalidated by environmentalist lawyers, who challenged the permits based on nonsensical anti-coal regulations issued by President Obama’s EPA. As a result of this legal wrangling, the utility consortium agreed to cancel plans for its other planned power plant in Ben Hill County. Now, the environmentalists will launch a fresh attack in the courts on the remaining plant.
Also featuring…
CEI’s Battered Business Bureau: The Week in Regulation
CEI Liberty Week Podcast – April 12, 2012: Apple, E-Books, and Antitrust