On Thursday, the Pennsylvania Coal Alliance joined the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), American Petroleum Institute (API), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and dozens of other organizations in supporting legislation to challenge regulations intended to shutter American power plants.
U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH) and U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) joined a large group of their Congressional colleagues to file a Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval in regard to plans to shutter power plants across the country. The move comes after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued its final rules, the Clean Power Plan 2.0, that would impose what the lawmakers said would be unrealistic emissions requirements on existing coal-fired power plants, as well as on newly constructed gas-fired power plants. The lawmakers said the new final rules are an attempt to force the closure of power plants previously tried under President Barack Obama and overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“The Clean Power Plan 2.0 was created by and for extreme activists, ignoring the real-world harm it will cause to our electric grid and American energy security,” Balderson said. “Slashing our baseload energy production while power demand continues to climb at historic levels is shortsighted and will have a catastrophic impact for Ohioans. This Congressional Review Act resolution allows Congress to step in and reverse the Biden Administration’s efforts to practically eliminate our reliable power generation by 2032.”
Energy organizations and other groups oppose the Clean Power Plan 2.0 regulations.
“EPA’s power plant rule is unlawful, unreasonable and unachievable,” Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). “Under the rule, EPA illegally attempts to transform the US energy economy by forcing a shift in electricity generation to the agency’s favored sources. EPA exceeded its authority and Congress must overturn its action. We urge Congress to pass this resolution and are grateful for Sen. Capito and Rep. Balderson’s leadership to reverse this harmful rule.”