First appeared on FOX: Twenty-six members of Congress sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan warning him and the agency not to implement the Clean Power Plan 2.0.
Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) wrote a letter to the administrator predicting that the rules outlined in the plan would jeopardize the reliability of the power grid for 65 million Americans from New Jersey to North Carolina.
Smucker, of Lancaster, whose district is home to hydroelectric plants along the Susquehanna River, said the EPA’s new rules target coal- and gas-fired power plants and called on Legan to provide evidence that the rules will not put the power grid at risk.
According to Politico, the rule places limits on carbon emissions and differs from Obama-era rules that relied on state-by-state targets. All US coal-fired power plants will be subject to the rules, and analysis shows that by 2040, existing plants will need to cut emissions by nearly 90% or install carbon capture technology.
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Congressman Lloyd Smucker (Office of Congressman Lloyd Smucker)
Most of the affected areas fall under the jurisdiction of PJM, which coordinates the power grid between many of the Atlantic coastal states through 88,000 miles of transmission lines, according to the letter.
Lawmakers predicted that electricity demand growth will soon double, citing increased power use from artificial intelligence, electric vehicles and manufacturing projects.
“A rapid transition to renewable energy sources without forcing the shutdown of existing generating facilities and addressing the need to ensure uninterrupted power supply to a grid already plagued by interconnection delays would lead to both electricity rationing and higher electricity bills for consumers,” the lawmakers warned.
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“Given the devastating impact it would have on the PJM Interconnection service area, we urge you to reconsider these rules.”
One Democratic lawmaker also criticized the EPA’s new plan in earlier comments.
Sen. Joe Manchin (I-Va.) suggested that the goal of EPA regulators is to “force the early retirement of coal-fired power plants and block the construction of new natural gas power plants, thereby preventing the use of fossil fuels to produce reliable energy in the United States.”
Manchin’s colleague, Rep. Alex X. Mooney of Virginia, signed onto Smucker’s letter Thursday, saying the new rules were the result of the president’s “dangerous policies.”
Electric pole at dusk (iStock)
“The liberal extremist Biden administration has made it its mission to put hardworking West Virginia coal miners out of work, which will result in higher energy prices and unstable power grid,” Mooney said Friday.
Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky echoed Smucker’s demands for clarification, citing the fact that more than two-thirds of the nation’s electricity comes from coal and saying the EPA is implementing costly and aggressive regulations.
Comer said the restrictions put the U.S. at risk of rolling blackouts and instability at a time when people are already facing rising energy costs.
“I am proud to join my colleagues in holding EPA Administrator Michael Regan to account so Kentuckians and people across the country have access to reliable, affordable energy,” said Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee.
The letter asks Reagan to respond by August about whether the White House or EPA consulted with PJM, energy groups and other grid operators before implementing the plan.
Among their list of demands, the signatories asked the agency to specify whether it had also sought feedback from agricultural, manufacturing and technology stakeholders who depend on a safe and effective electricity grid.
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Emissions spew from a massive smokestack at the Brandon Shores Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant in Baltimore, on March 9, 2018. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
He also asked whether the Biden administration believes rule changes that would move the U.S. away from reliable coal and gas could impact its plans for “national electrification of the transportation and home heating sectors.”
Smucker detailed the letter’s purpose in exclusive comments late Friday, saying “energy security is national security.”
“I know the Biden administration’s plan has already been criticized by PJM, which has stated clearly that renewable energy alone cannot meet demand, yet the administration is moving forward with these excessive regulations,” he said.
Asked for comment, a PJM spokesperson directed Fox News Digital to a previous press release commenting on the importance of EPA rulemaking taking into account relevant grid reliability needs.
The EPA acknowledged this but did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.
