Legislation co-sponsored by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) on Tuesday would require federal agencies to examine how an EPA proposal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants would impact the economy.
The Coal Country Protection Act would block the proposal unless federal agencies verify that the regulations would not have a negative impact on jobs and energy security.
“President Obama’s latest EPA rule is a direct attack on low and middle-income families in Missouri and nationwide,” Blunt said. “This bill is an important step in preventing the president and his administration from further burdening people who simply cannot afford to pay more at the pump or higher utility bills as a result of these costly energy policies.”
The EPA recently said that power plants account for one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions in the nation and unveiled its “Clean Power Plan” to reduce carbon pollution in the energy sector by 30 percent below 2005 levels.
Under the Coal Country Protection Act, the secretary of labor and Congressional Budget Office would have to verify that the proposed greenhouse gas limits would not lead to fewer jobs or diminish the country’s gross domestic product.
The measure would also require the Energy Information Administration and the North American Electric Reliability Corp. to certify that proposed regulations would not impact electricity rates and supply.