ARTICLE
The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed regulations, the “Clean Power Plan” (CPP), on existing fossil-fuel-fired power plants would create trouble for businesses. This includes small businesses who will not be able to keep up with the growing costs of electricity. The chamber’s concern is that the CPP does not include the needed expertise and will damage the reliable and economical electricity supply that is vital to our region. It will be completely ineffective in achieving the goal of controlling global warming. Certainly, an electric-power supply that is reliable and economical is essential both for the competitiveness of local businesses and the well-being of residents. Our area is supplied with electricity by the PJM interconnection, which has an outstanding reputation for cost-effectiveness and reliability with a good balance of coal, natural gas, nuclear power and renewable energy. When the severely cold weather of the 2013-2014 winter tested the PJM grid, coal plants that would be prematurely shut down by these proposed regulations were crucial to PJM’s success. Without them, it is virtually certain that major power reductions or outages would have occurred. Natural gas supplies were not always available or accessible to supply more power. The ability to switch the fuel mix for major power generation between coal and natural gas makes for both high reliability and best economy. From 1989 to 2010, Congress debated hundreds of bills regarding the regulation of carbon dioxide and rejected them all. Properly regulating carbon dioxide emissions is a massive undertaking, requiring a well-thought-out energy policy. In the absence of a clear and robust energy policy, Congress has justifiably refused to pass any carbon dioxide legislation. The proposed EPA regulations would establish a poorly planned energy policy because it has neither the authority nor the expertise to develop a national-energy policy. The regulations may wreak havoc on an energy infrastructure for the foreseeable future and damage our competitiveness with no discernible benefit. Read the original article here.