GOP Digs in Against ‘War on Coal’ Regulations

[Geee]

PJMedia:

WASHINGTON – President Obama’s plan to curb climate change has met skepticism from Republicans who have warned that the presidential initiative threatens the viability of the coal industry through regulations that are difficult to meet with existing technology.

 

In a speech last month, Obama unveiled his Climate Action Plan to tackle carbon pollution in America. The move was condemned by Republican lawmakers, arguing that it relies on executive actions that require no congressional approval and would hurt the economy.

 

The president’s plan included a proposal, called New Source Performance Standards, to cap greenhouse emissions from new power plants.

A bipartisan group of 22 lawmakers sent a letter to Obama last week in opposition to the administration’s intentions to regulate greenhouse gases, particularly those generated by coal-fired power plants, through new regulations.

“We and others have often criticized a ‘War on Coal’ waged by this White House and these accusations were met with firm denial by Administration officials and environmentalist allies,” the lawmakers wrote. “However, given the cumulative impact of continued mining permit delays, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, and your annual budgets’ repeated proposed cuts to the Department of Energy’s fossil energy research and development programs, it is hard to come to any conclusion other than that your Administration is systematically trying to eliminate the use of carbon fuels, particularly coal.”

The House passed legislation on Thursday that is part of two GOP initiatives – to end the “war on coal” and to reduce federal regulations on businesses.