WASHINGTON, DC – A bipartisan majority of the House of Representatives today wrote to Jeffery Zients, Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget, expressing concern over EPA’s plans to regulate greenhouse gases at power plants through New Source Performance Standards. The letter, spearheaded by Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Rep. John Barrow (D-GA), asks OMB to stop the rulemaking, which is currently under review. Members are concerned the regulation would lead to higher electricity rates and devastating job losses.
Even after Congress rejected unpopular cap-and-trade legislation, the Obama administration is moving forward with greenhouse gas regulations. The proposed GHG standards would likely drive up electricity rates on struggling American families and businesses and threaten our economic recovery.
The members wrote:
“Affordable, reliable electricity is critical to keeping and growing jobs in the United States and such a standard will likely drive up energy prices and threaten domestic jobs. A recent USA Today article stated that electricity rates have already skyrocketed in the past five years, which has added about $300 a year to what households pay for electricity. A GHG standard will make that trend worse.
“Forcing a transition to commercially unproven technologies could send thousands of U.S. jobs overseas and raise electricity rates on families and seniors at a time when the nation can least afford it. We respectfully ask that you stop EPA’s GHG rulemaking because of the devastating impact it will have on jobs and the economy.”
Copy of the letter in PDE FORMAT Jeffery Zients, Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget,. ### +sookie tex
TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT: House Energy and Commerce Committee 2125 Rayburn House Office Building | Washington, DC 20515 | (202) 225-2927
