44 Senators, 138 House Mbrs Intro Resolution to Block EPA Power Reg ELECTRICAL GENERATION | INDUSTRYWIDE ISSUES | REGULATION

Using 1,020 pages of new regulations, which will go into effect this year, all coal-fired plants that are slated to remain operational in the long term and all new gas-fired power plants

44 Senators, 138 House Mbrs Intro Resolution to Block EPA Power Reg

ELECTRICAL GENERATION | INDUSTRYWIDE ISSUES | REGULATION

June 6, 2024

+
Bookmark

The Bidenistas at the EPA attacked coal and gas-fired power plants in April, threatening to destabilize the existing electric power grid with new regulations (see EPA Rolls Out Final Regs Attacking Coal & Gas-Fired Power).

Using 1,020 pages of new regulations, which will go into effect this year, all coal-fired plants that are slated to remain operational in the long term and all new gas-fired power plants will be required to control (capture) 90% of their carbon emissions using expensive and unproven technology. Translation: New gas-fired plants won’t get built, and most, if not all, coal plants will shutter, with the result that electricity will, by necessity, be rationed (see WSJ Calls Biden EPA Power Plant Regs a Plan to “Ration Electricity”). A number of lawsuits have been filed against the new regulation. Now, members of Congress are adding their voices, intending to block the new reg using a Congressional Joint Resolution. The resolution was simultaneously introduced yesterday in the Senate and House.

The Senate version of the J.R. was sponsored by West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito. Some 44 Senators signed on to the resolution. Joe Manchin, the other Senator from WV (a Democrat now calling himself an Independent), also signed on to the bill. Loser Manchin actually tried to take credit for the resolution Capito worked to introduce.

Congressman Troy Balderson, a Republican from Ohio’s 12th District, led 138 of his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives in introducing an identical resolution in the House.

The Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources, chaired by loser Manchin, issued this press release:

Today, Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, joined a group of 44 Senators to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new “Clean Power Plan 2.0” final rule designed to force the premature retirement of coal-fired power plants and prevent the construction of new natural gas-fired plants.

US. Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH-12) led 138 of his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives in introducing an identical resolution in the House.

“This new power plant rule isn’t just another bureaucratic maneuver in this administration’s strategy to end the fossil fuel industry by a thousand cuts, it’s a calculated knockout punch to the coal and natural gas industry. Make no mistake, other sources of energy are not yet ready to pick up the slack in our power system that will be created by this regulation. In their desperation for short-term political gains before an election, this administration’s radical climate advisors have forsaken the long-term reliability of our electric grid and the energy security of our nation. I’ve always said that the way to address climate change is through innovation, not elimination. But requiring technologies that aren’t yet feasible simply isn’t reasonable. I support this resolution to reverse the rule because we cannot afford to continue down this path of prematurely forcing the closure of our dispatchable, baseload power resources, yielding to the pressures of activists and turning a blind eye to the clear warnings of our electricity reliability regulators,” said Chairman Manchin.

The resolution comes after the EPA issued its final rules that impose unrealistic emissions requirements on existing coal-fired power plants and newly constructed gas-fired power plants.

The resolution, introduced by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and cosponsored by Chairman Manchin, is supported by U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY), John Thune (R-SD), John Barrasso (R-WY), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Mike Braun (R-IN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL.), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Todd Young (R-IN).

Groups supporting the CRA resolution of disapproval include: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Mining Association (NMA), National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), America’s Power, American Chemistry Council (ACC), Industrial Energy Consumers of America (IECA), American Petroleum Institute (API), American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA), Western Energy Alliance, American Coal Council, Energy Policy Network, Reliable Energy Inc., Women’s Mining Coalition, West Virginia Manufacturers Association, Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia (GOWV), West Virginia Coal Association, Public Service Commission of West Virginia, Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, Ohio Independent Power Producers, Pennsylvania Coal Alliance, Montana Coal Council, Texas Mining Association, Utah Mining Association, Kentucky Coal Association, Illinois Coal Association, Wyoming Mining Association, Rocky Mountain Mining Institute, American Electric Power (AEP), Buckeye Power, Duke Energy, PBF Energy, South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES), Institute for Energy Research, Power the Future, Heritage Action, Conservative Political Action Coalition, Americans for Prosperity, American Energy Institute, American Consumer Institute, Americans for Tax Reform, ALEC Action, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, and the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council.*

That’s an impressive list of groups supporting the resolution. Here’s a copy of the Senate J.R.:

…

Unfortunately, the J.R. doesn’t stand a chance. Let’s assume that it gets passed in the Democrat-controlled Senate by some small miracle. Joint resolutions are just like bills, they need a presidential signature to become “law.” Joementia will never sign it, and there won’t be enough votes to override his veto. So, in the end, this is a statement. It’s a good statement, a necessary statement, but just a statement.

*U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources (Jun 5, 2024) – Manchin, Capito Lead Senate, House Colleagues to Introduce Resolution to Block Biden’s Plan to Shut Down American Power Plants