Electric Co-op Today

Opposition continues to build against an Environmental Protection Agency proposal to regulate greenhouse gases from power plants and stationary sources under the Clean Air Act.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV, D-W.V., said Feb. 22 that he believes Congress needs to put a halt to EPA’s planned rulemaking, so lawmakers have time to consider a comprehensive climate change bill.

He said he intends to introduce legislation to “set in stone” a delay to give Congress time to act.

“EPA actions in this area would have enormous implications on clean-coal state economies and these issues need to be handled carefully and appropriately dealt with by the Congress, not in isolation by a federal environmental agency,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the American Public Power Association said it has endorsed a measure authored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, that would block EPA’s regulatory attempts.

“The Clean Air Act is particularly unsuited for [greenhouse gases] because it was created to address criteria pollutants as opposed to ubiquitous GHG emissions,” Mark Crisson, APPA president and chief executive officer, wrote in a Feb. 23 letter to U.S. senators.

NRECA CEO Glenn English said he welcomed additional support for the effort to prevent EPA from unilaterally implementing its regulatory program.

At the annual meeting earlier this month, English outlined the association’s support of legislation to halt EPA regulation.

Now that the issue is gaining momentum on Capitol Hill, consumer-members can have an immediate impact by registering their voices through the Our Energy, Our Future® campaign, he said.

“Members of Congress are taking notice of our position that EPA regulation is the wrong way to go and could have an enormous adverse economic effect on consumers,” he said. “With so much at stake, co-ops need to continue to take this case to their elected representatives.”

Rockefeller’s announcement stemmed from an exchange of letters with EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. With seven other Democrats, he asked Jackson Feb. 19 how the agency planned to implement its finding that carbon dioxide represents a health hazard and should be regulated. That finding is the basis for the EPA’s actions.

In response, Jackson said the agency anticipates phasing in permitting requirements and regulation of greenhouse gases from large stationary sources beginning in 2011. Small sources probably would not be regulated until 2016, she said.

“I am glad to see that the EPA is showing some willingness to set their timetable for regulation in to the future — this is good progress but I am concerned it may not go far enough,” Rockefeller said.

Added Murkowski: “While the delay in implementation is a small forced step in the right direction, the Clean Air Act continues to be the wrong tool for the job, and EPA’s timeline continues to create significant and ongoing uncertainty for a business community.”

Her legislation, sponsored by 41 Republicans and Democrats, is a resolution of disapproval, as opposed to the planned delay sought by Rockefeller. It could come up on the floor in a few weeks.

Tags: Climate Change Legislation, Environmental Protection Agency, Greenhouse Gas, Legislation