The Honorable Ed Whitfield
United States House of Representatives
2184 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative Whitfield:
On behalf of the members of National Taxpayers Union (NTU), I write in strong support of the “Ratepayer Protection Act.” This legislation would provide recourse to states and consumers harmed by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “Clean Power Plan” rule, which would increase energy costs and kill jobs in many states.
First proposed in June 2014, the Clean Power Plan sets state-by-state reduction targets for carbon dioxide emissions from electricity production. To meet these goals, the plan requires states to submit compliance plans to the EPA for approval. For many states, especially those with fossil-fuel intensive electricity production, this will be an extremely burdensome and costly process requiring some electricity plants to be shuttered.
Forcing states to change from low-cost, reliable traditional fuels to high-cost, less reliable energy sources such as solar and wind power could cause energy prices to skyrocket. This would hurt not only individuals and families, especially low-income consumers who spend a greater proportion of their income on energy costs, but also manufacturers and industries which rely heavily on energy consumption. These job creators could be forced to relocate to states or countries with lower energy costs, or closed altogether.
It’s important that Congress take action to combat this massive overreach on the part of the EPA. This legislation would protect taxpayers in two ways: by extending the deadline for state compliance, giving more time for judicial review of what could be an unconstitutional rule, and by providing states with an opt-out mechanism if it is found that the plan will adversely impact ratepayers or the reliability of the state’s grid.
Implementation of the Clean Power Plan could create serious economic disruptions at a time when our nation can least afford them. With budgets already stretched thin, hardworking families can’t keep paying the price of the EPA’s costly regulations. NTU is pleased to endorse the “Ratepayer Protection Act,” and urges all Representatives to support the legislation.
Sincerely,
Nan Swift
Federal Affairs Manager