Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)
WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives will vote Wednesday on a bill that’s designed to limit the enforcement of new regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Last week, the White House and environmental advocates celebrated Pope Francis’s call for action on climate change, in part by touting the Obama administration’s ongoing effort to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
But this week, the Republican controlled House will vote on a bipartisan measure that is designed to scale back the centerpiece of Obama’s climate plan – the EPA’s carbon emission rules.
The “Ratepayer Protection Act” from Congressman Ed Whitfield (R-Kentucky) is designed to provide each state the opportunity to opt out of having to abide by the rules until after all court challenges are settled – a process expected to take several years.
Chautauqua County’s representative in Congress, Tom Reed (R-Corning) told WRFA on Monday that he would support the bill, saying that the states should be allowed to have a say in how energy creation is regulated.
“We recognize that states are probably in better position to address the issue of their energy needs and utility make-up,” Reed said. “And we recognize that coal-burning plants are something that we have in our utility production portfolio and its something that supports a lot of jobs… and supports driving the cost of those utilities down. So anything that’s of interest in keeping those utility costs in check, as well as creating jobs, I’m going to be very sensitive to.”
Ratepayer Protection Act Not Expected to Affect NY State Power Companies
Even if the Ratepayer Protection Act is approved and goes into effect, its unlikely it would have little if any impact on power generation in New York State, which already has energy regulations that are among the strictest in the nation and on par with those imposed by the EPA.
The bill could, however, have an adverse impact on local air quality.
Several areas of the state, including portions of the 23rd Congressional District, already having a poor air quality rating, with Chautauqua County ranking among the worst in the state. Environmentalists point out that emissions from power plants in the midwest are a large contributor to the local air quality issue, and unless those emission are reduced, air quality – which leads to various health issues – will continue to be a problem locally.
In response to these concerns, Reed said, “Obviously those are concerns that I think should be addressed, but I am generally in favor of the states of weighing in on what is appropriate in their utility make up and supporting things like clean-coal technology and conversion to natural gas, as well as a potential small plant being repowered with clean coal technology right here in New York State.”
“While it can be agreed upon that we all want clean air and water, it is important to balance environmental regulations with economic and technological realities. This bill is part of achieving that balance,” he added.
Later in the week, the House will also take a second swipe at the EPA’s power plant rule by voting a fiscal 2016 spending bill that would bar the EPA from enforcing the rules, cut the agency’s budget, and attack several other prominent EPA regulations on air and water pollution.
Leave a Reply