EPA Raises Rates, Regulations at Your ExpenseNov 29 - Pilot, The (Southern Pines, NC)
Soon, our president will veto bipartisan legislation created to protect constituents from a spike in electricity costs and threats to the grid reliability. This means that soon, North Carolinians will experience yet another costly environmental regulation handed down to them by their president and his Environmental Protection Agency . Over and over again, we have witnessed this agency flex its muscles at the expense of American families - all in an effort to pave a pathway forward for the president's liberal agenda. Unfortunately, this agency has hindered the revival of a strong manufacturing base at home and, instead, has driven up electricity and other costs for citizens. Because of the EPA's blatant lack of concern for the effects these rules will have on working Americans, I was eager to be placed on the Energy & Power Subcommittee. The unelected bureaucrats staffing this agency need to be held accountable. They need to be made aware of how their policies are raising everyday costs for families, including those in North Carolina's Second District . The reality is that the rules and regulations stemming from the EPA - like the Clean Power Plan and the new ozone regulations - will negatively impact families and North Carolina's job creators alike. Let us start with the EPA's Clean Power Plan - a legacy item for the president. While the intent is to curb carbon emissions, the problem is that the plan's climate benefits will be minimal while utility prices for North Carolinians could skyrocket. In North Carolina alone, it is estimated that we could see a 12 to 16 percent increase in electricity prices for households and businesses. This huge spike in utility bills is the last thing our families need as they work to make ends meet. The problem posed by this one-size-fits-all directive is that many states, such as North Carolina , have already proven successful in curbing these emissions on a local level. Many states have already successfully implemented programs to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The progress means there is little room for additional cuts to be made without serious implications for our economy and job creators. Nonetheless, the EPA continues to march forward with this rule. Despite serious questions of legality, states have been forced to follow through with developing this costly plan. Because of this overreach, I have voted for and cosponsored numerous pieces of legislation including two Congressional Review Act Resolutions, which would void this unrealistic plan. Additional legislation called the Ratepayer Protection Act allows for states to delay implementation of the Clean Power Plan until these lengthy legal proceedings are decided. The Ratepayer Protection Act allows states to protect ratepayers from rising electricity costs and threats to grid reliability. Another example of an overreaching regulation put forth by the EPA is their new ozone rule, which has the potential to be one of the costliest regulations in the agency's history. According to the EPA's own estimates, the costs of this rule will be in the billions of dollars for years to come. Once this regulation is imposed on our state, it will unfairly cap a business's ability to grow, hire and bring in new customers or markets. Additionally, these ozone regulations make it even more difficult for businesses to acquire permits for manufacturing and infrastructure projects. I have not stood by while the EPA tramples small businesses and hardworking American families. This is why I have joined over 130 colleagues in asking the EPA to retain the current standard and not implement this detrimental new rule. In addition to this letter, I have also co-sponsored legislation called the CASE Act, asking the EPA to refrain from implementing the rule and start considering the cost and feasibility of this onerous regulation. While I believe the federal government can play a responsible role in environmental protection, we have to establish an appropriate balance between federal regulation and the economic well-being of states. Without a doubt, we should be good stewards of our environment, but we must also make certain that the policies we are proposing are reasonable, attainable and cost-effective. This seems to be a foreign concept to the EPA . I will continue to work within the Energy & Power subcommittee to ensure that out-of-control agencies do not cripple job creators, slow our economy, or make it harder for everyday Americans to pay their bills and put food on their tables. Congresswoman Renee Ellmers , R- N.C. , serves as representative of the 2nd District and sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee , which includes the Energy & Power subcommittee. By REP. Renee Ellmers Special to The Pilot Soon, our president will veto bipartisan legislation created to protect constituents from a spike in electricity costs and threats to the grid reliability. This means that soon, North Carolinians will experience yet another costly environmental regulation handed down to them by their president and his Environmental Protection Agency . Over and over again, we have witnessed this agency flex its muscles at the expense of American families - all in an effort to pave a pathway forward for the president's liberal agenda. Unfortunately, this agency has hindered the revival of a strong manufacturing base at home and, instead, has driven up electricity and other costs for citizens. Because of the EPA's blatant lack of concern for the effects these rules will have on working Americans, I was eager to be placed on the Energy & Power Subcommittee. The unelected bureaucrats staffing this agency need to be held accountable. They need to be made aware of how their policies are raising everyday costs for families, including those in North Carolina's Second District . The reality is that the rules and regulations stemming from the EPA - like the Clean Power Plan and the new ozone regulations - will negatively impact families and North Carolina's job creators alike. Let us start with the EPA's Clean Power Plan - a legacy item for the president. While the intent is to curb carbon emissions, the problem is that the plan's climate benefits will be minimal while utility prices for North Carolinians could skyrocket. In North Carolina alone, it is estimated that we could see a 12 to 16 percent increase in electricity prices for households and businesses. This huge spike in utility bills is the last thing our families need as they work to make ends meet. The problem posed by this one-size-fits-all directive is that many states, such as North Carolina , have already proven successful in curbing these emissions on a local level. Many states have already successfully implemented programs to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The progress means there is little room for additional cuts to be made without serious implications for our economy and job creators. Nonetheless, the EPA continues to march forward with this rule. Despite serious questions of legality, states have been forced to follow through with developing this costly plan. Because of this overreach, I have voted for and cosponsored numerous pieces of legislation including two Congressional Review Act Resolutions, which would void this unrealistic plan. Additional legislation called the Ratepayer Protection Act allows for states to delay implementation of the Clean Power Plan until these lengthy legal proceedings are decided. The Ratepayer Protection Act allows states to protect ratepayers from rising electricity costs and threats to grid reliability. Another example of an overreaching regulation put forth by the EPA is their new ozone rule, which has the potential to be one of the costliest regulations in the agency's history. According to the EPA's own estimates, the costs of this rule will be in the billions of dollars for years to come. Once this regulation is imposed on our state, it will unfairly cap a business's ability to grow, hire and bring in new customers or markets. Additionally, these ozone regulations make it even more difficult for businesses to acquire permits for manufacturing and infrastructure projects. I have not stood by while the EPA tramples small businesses and hardworking American families. This is why I have joined over 130 colleagues in asking the EPA to retain the current standard and not implement this detrimental new rule. In addition to this letter, I have also co-sponsored legislation called the CASE Act, asking the EPA to refrain from implementing the rule and start considering the cost and feasibility of this onerous regulation. While I believe the federal government can play a responsible role in environmental protection, we have to establish an appropriate balance between federal regulation and the economic well-being of states. Without a doubt, we should be good stewards of our environment, but we must also make certain that the policies we are proposing are reasonable, attainable and cost-effective. This seems to be a foreign concept to the EPA . I will continue to work within the Energy & Power subcommittee to ensure that out-of-control agencies do not cripple job creators, slow our economy, or make it harder for everyday Americans to pay their bills and put food on their tables.
|