Whitfield Blasts President Obama’s EPA for Misleading Kentuckians

WASHINGTON, D.C. – August 6, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01), Chairman of the House Energy and Power Subcommittee, issued the following statement today in response to the President’s plan to regulate carbon dioxide (C02) from existing power plants, also known as the “Clean Power Plan,” which was released on Monday afternoon. It appears that the Obama Administration deliberately misled Kentucky State officials in order to garner support for his legacy plan.

“The President’s final plan calls for a 41% reduction in C02 emissions by 2030 from fossil fuel-fired power plants in Kentucky; a much more stringent rate than the 18% reduction originally proposed by EPA as it solicited support from Governor Steve Beshear and State Energy and Environment Secretary Len Peters,” said Whitfield. “Kentucky’s Energy and Environment Cabinet anticipated an emissions rate of 1,763 pounds per Megawatt-hour (MWh) by 2030, but EPA is now mandating 1,286 pounds per MWh by the same year.

“This misrepresentation by the Obama Administration is a prime example of the President’s pattern of deception. He consistently says one thing and does another, and has proven over and over he cannot be trusted. President Obama’s heavy-handed regulatory burdens continue to stifle jobs and the economy in Kentucky, and around the entire country. I urge Governor Beshear and Secretary Peters to oppose this Administration’s unlawful regulation for existing power plants.”

In June, the House passed bipartisan legislation, H.R. 2042, the Ratepayer Protection Act introduced by Whitfield. The bill would allow the courts to review any final C02 rule issued for existing power plants before requiring states and affected entities to comply, and would also ensure that states could protect ratepayers from significant adverse effects on electricity rates and reliability.

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