WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) responded to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule regarding new power plants:

“It’s absolutely unbelievable that on the 50th anniversary of the war on poverty, the EPA has just announced another regulation that will increase poverty in coal country. Less than one day after President Obama pledged to help unemployed Americans, his Administration is rolling out red tape that will destroy more jobs and increase energy costs.  In addition to contradicting current law, this new regulation will put more Americans out of work and make it even harder for people to provide for their families. It’s now more important than ever for Congress to pass the National Energy Tax Repeal Act and protect American jobs across coal country.”
                                                                
Background:

The new rules proposed by the EPA will require new coal-fired plants to limit emissions of carbon dioxide to 1,100 pounds per megawatt-hour of electricity. The rule sets a threshold of 1,000 pounds per megawatt-hour for new, larger natural gas plants and a threshold of 1,100 pounds per megawatt-hour for smaller natural gas plants.

The only way new plants could meet the EPA’s new standards is by installing costly carbon capture and sequestration technology—a technology that is arguably not currently economically or commercially viable.

On July 18, 2013, Senator Barrasso introduced the National Energy Tax Repeal Act (S. 1514). The bill would block the Obama Administration from imposing this new national energy tax unless Congress first authorizes it.

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