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| Texas Governor Rick Perry. Photo credit: Huffstutter via flickr. |
By Anders Lorenzen
In a letter addressed to President Barack Obama, nine US states officially oppose the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent proposals to regulate CO2 emissions from existing power plants:
Governor Sean Parnell, Alaska
Governor Mike Pence, Indiana
Governor Bobby Jindal, Louisiana
Governor Phil Bryant, Mississippi
Governor Pat McCrory, North Carolina
Governor Jack Dalrymple, North Dakota
Governor Tom Corbett, Pennsylvania,
Governor Rick Perry, Texas
Governor Matthew H. Mead, Wyoming
In the letter signed by the above state Governors, the signatures argue that the proposals would harm economic growth and that of providing affordable energy for the public. The letter states: “As you know, the energy industry is a major source of job creation in our country, providing employment to millions of our citizens and bolstering U.S. economic competitiveness. America was able to meet almost 90 percent of its energy needs last year the most since March 1985 —in large part because of increased domestic energy production. We take pride in the fact that domestic production largely powers America and increasingly other economies as well, helping to eradicate poverty and to provide political stability around the globe.’’
The letter argues that the recent surge in oil and gas drilling extraction means that the US is developing more energy than it ever has done before, and that the proposed regulations would put hundred of thousands of jobs at risk, that is despite the regulations unlikely to affect the surge in oil and gas extraction, but will most likely economically hurt the coal industry. An industry that is hurting already regardless of the regulations.
One of the signatures is Governor of Texas Rick Perry. His state have in recent years become an even richer energy state than before. A surge in wind power deployment combined with the surge in shale gas and the already high volume of oil reserves have made it the energy darling of the US. While the state has some coal deposits, the proposed regulations would only mean more investment in Texas wind industry which is already the leading wind power state in the US.
The letter completes saying the US public will be the real loser of the proposals: “You rightly acknowledge that American citizens will literally pay the price of your energy agenda. They will also pay the price in the form of lost jobs and less reliable electricity. As representatives of the citizens who stand to lose so much while gaining next to nothing, it is our duty to confront this issue and to ask that you rescind the regulations you have put forth. Disposing of these regulations will protect Americans from the costs and burdens the rules would impose upon them and will ensure the continuation of America’s energy renaissance, which is indispensable to our country’s economic recovery and job creation and which is largely a result of State policies.’’
Sub edited by Charlotte Paton
Related news:
US: long awaited power plants regulation proposed
Categories: Clean Power Plan, energy independence, energy security, Obama, power plant regulations, Rick Perry, shale gas, Texas, wind power
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