Clean Coal

The United States Senate today took the first step in setting aside a new EPA regulation on America’s coal-fueled electricity industry that would unnecessarily drive up energy costs for millions of American families and businesses. Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, filed a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s Utility MACT Rule. EPA also calls the rule the MATS rule.

“Congressional action is essential to stop this heavy-handed new regulation by EPA that will needlessly drive up energy prices for all Americans and destroy jobs,” said Steve Miller, president and CEO of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. “With half of Americans now devoting more than 20 percent of their family budget to energy costs, EPA is making energy much more expensive with the most costly regulation ever imposed by the agency on the coal-fueled electricity industry. Given the fragility of America’s economic recovery, that’s the wrong policy, at the worst possible time.”

The effects of rising energy costs are the subject of a recently released report, “Energy Cost Impacts on American Families.” Some of the major findings are that –

• Energy costs have almost doubled for the average family and are eating up a disproportionate share of low- and fixed-income families’ budgets.
• Energy cost burdens are greatest on the poorest families.
• Minority families are particularly burdened by higher energy costs.
• Lower- and fixed-income senior households are among those most vulnerable to energy price increases.
• Electricity is a relative bargain among energy products. This is due, in part, to the utility industry’s reliance on affordable coal.
• EPA regulations drive up electricity prices. Electricity price increases over the past two decades are due in part to costs associated with meeting clean air and other environmental standards.

The full study is available at: http://www.americaspower.org/sites/default/files/Energy_Cost_Impacts_2012_FINAL.pdf

EPA’s Utility MACT regulation, which was finalized in late December 2011, would lead to the closure of many coal-fueled power plants. A comprehensive analysis by National Economic Research Associates found that the proposed Utility MACT Rule and other finalized and pending EPA regulations for power plants using coal could destroy an average of 183,000 jobs every year from 2012- 2020 and increase electricity and other energy prices by $170 billion.

“America’s coal-based electricity industry is grateful to Senator Inhofe and other Members of Congress who understand coal’s importance to the American economy now and well into the future,” said Miller. “We urge strong, bipartisan support for this resolution in order to protect consumers and jobs.”

About ACCCE

The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) is a non-profit, non-partisan partnership of companies involved in producing electricity from coal. ACCCE supports energy policies that balance coal’s vital role in meeting our country’s growing need for affordable and reliable electricity with the need to protect the environment. ACCCE also advocates for the development and deployment of advanced clean coal technologies that will produce electricity with near-zero emissions.

For more information, visit www.cleancoalusa.org or www.americaspower.org.