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Boucher wants EPA to delay greenhouse gas regulations
U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., has introduced legislation to suspend for two years action by the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
Boucher joined West Virginia Democratic congressmen Nick Joe Rahall and Alan Mollohan in introducing the Stationary Source Regulations Delay Act. A companion measure has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va. All four veteran lawmakers have come under fire as a result of the Obama administration’s aggressive tactics to rein in the surface coal mining industry and/or support of cap-and-trade legislation before Congress.
The measure introduced on Thursday would delay for two years any EPA action involving carbon dioxide or methane emissions regulations for stationary sources while allowing mobile source regulations to move forward.
“By structuring the measure in this manner, we are seeking to find a responsible middle ground that can be enacted,” Boucher said.
Following a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that greenhouse gases are a pollutant, the EPA is legally compelled to regulate them under the existing Clean Air Act. Boucher said that law is not well-suited for such action because it disables the EPA from taking into account the unique needs of the coal industry and electric utilities that burn coal.
“EPA regulation of greenhouse gases would be the worst outcome for the coal industry and coal-related jobs,” he said.
“In June, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a balanced measure that will control greenhouse gas emissions while preventing economic disruption. While this measure is far from perfect, I was able to secure a number of important changes to the bill that allow for the continued and robust use of coal, and the deployment of carbon capture and storage technologies necessary for the coal industry’s success.”
If the EPA is permitted to regulate such emissions, Boucher said “economic considerations simply cannot be taken into account.”
EPA regulation would be costly and cumbersome as well, he said.
“The measure I have introduced will prevent the EPA from acting to regulate greenhouse gas emissions for two years, providing Congress time to approve a thoughtful regulatory program,” Boucher said.
Other measures to stifle the EPA’s regulation of the emissions is not a realistic approach, he said.
“While some may prefer to halt EPA action permanently, the votes do not exist in the Senate or the House to remove all EPA regulatory authority,” Boucher said. “Our bill is a responsible, achievable approach that prevents the EPA from enacting regulations that would harm coal, and gives Congress time to establish a balanced program.”
The United Mine Workers of America announced its support for the measure.
“We regard the Clean Air Act as unsuited to providing the technology incentives needed to advance carbon capture and storage and other advanced clean energy technologies that our nation will need to combat climate change,” UMW President Cecil Roberts said.
The EPA “appears in a rush to develop a slate of new rules that would hamper our economic recovery while depressing prospects for alleviating the crushing burdens of high unemployment,” he said.
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If you want to put wind turbines in SWVA answer is No. Want to dig Coal answer is no. Want a Nuke power in St Paul answer is No.
Do you want Heat and Lights?
Choose.
and yea Rick owes his soul to the company store
O Alice thats so sarcastic,even though i agree somewhat....LOL,selling perscription to kill off the poor and uneducated.
However you're right its going to come down to which are you afraid of more a mushroom cloud or do you want to flip a switch and have light? and heat in the winter?strip mining will be a big issue this year for our area,however ''clean coal'' no such thing......