That was Barack Obama in 2008.
Today, the E.P.A. has issued new guidelines and standards for coal fired plants effective in in early 2012.
Texas is not happy:
Texas argues that the new rules would require massive improvements to old power plants, changes that would end up costing consumers more money. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the state's regulatory agency, also questions the science upon which the EPA has built its rules.
"Technically speaking, this rule is another example of EPA fabricating a scenario in order to justify its actions," TCEQ Chairman Bryan Shaw said on June 30 when he testified before Congress about this and other federal rules.
"This rule ... puts at risk the economic future of power generation and those dependent on affordable electricity in Texas," Shaw added, saying the expensive improvements he believes would be needed would hurt elderly and low-income residents whose "health and welfare" depend on reliable energy.
“The E.P.A. is ignoring the cumulative economic damage new regulations will cause,” said Steve Miller, president of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, a group of coal-burning utilities. “America’s coal-fueled electric industry has been doing its part for the environment and the economy, but our industry needs adequate time to install clean coal technologies to comply with new regulations. Unfortunately, E.P.A. doesn’t seem to care.”
An industry-financed study found that new air pollution rules would cost tens of thousands of jobs and raise electricity rates by more than 20 percent in some parts of the country.
I am hard pressed to recall a more jobs-killing-administration than this one.
Meanwhile, the Feds and state governments are paying China to produce steel made with no environmental protections whatsoever for U.S. bridges and other construction projects.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Texas has always had its own electric power grid. As a result, until just this past year when a sort of "load-leveling" reconfiguration went into effect, we were completely shielded from the rolling blackouts and governmental machinations of other states (like California). Texas' Coal-fired electric production was the highest in the nation in 2005 (according to the sometimes-dubious Wikipedia)
ReplyDeleteSurely TPTB @ EPA wouldn't be engaging in a little anti-Texas muscle-flexing for political purposes? I know we shouldn't take it personally over here but given recent events, it sure does seem like the White House is trying to pick a fight with Texas.