In a letter by a coalition of free market research institutes delivered to Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the groups strongly endorse H. R. 2042, the Ratepayer Protection Act.
They argue H.R. 2042 is necessary to delay implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan (CPP) regulating greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants until such a time as all judicial reviews have been completed. According to the coalition letter, “the EPA’s so-called “Clean Power” Plan as proposed is clearly illegal and therefore likely to be overturned through litigation in federal court. However, litigation takes time, which means this ill-conceived rule could do significant economic damage before it is overturned.”
The bill would also allow states to opt out of the CPP if the governor determines it would adversely affect electric rates or reliability.
Numerous studies indicate the CPP threatens electric rates and reliability in states whose residents currently enjoy the lowest electricity rates. The letter notes, states that have already adopted policies restricting greenhouse gas emissions, such as California, New York, and most northeastern States, have seen their electric rates rise well above the national average, impoverishing low-income consumers and driving out energy-intensive industries to other states, or overseas.
Making energy more expensive and less reliable cannot be considered a sound national energy policy, argue the coalition letter’s authors.
H. Sterling Burnett, Ph.D. ([email protected]) is managing editor of Environment & Climate News.
INTERNET INFO
Myron Ebell, Joe Bast, et. al…, “Joint Letter Supporting the Ratepayer Protection Act,” June 23, 2015; https://www.heartland.org/policy-documents/coalition-letter-support-ratepayer-protection-act
H. Sterling Burnett, Ph.D., is the Director of the Arthur B. Robinson Center on Climate and Environmental Policy and the managing editor of Environment & Climate News.
