In response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s five to four ruling against the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), which relieved many power plants across the U.S. from burdensome emission restrictions, Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA) issued a statement of guarded optimism regarding the action.
“Although the initial announcement of this ruling prompted several celebratory responses from my colleagues, I wanted to study the court’s decision further to gauge whether it was a true victory for the American consumer,” Marino said. “In the end, this ruling provides a welcome rebuke of an out of control EPA. But it is only superficial progress because the EPA’s Mercury Air Toxics Standards rule will remain in place — for now.”
The congressman said that the ultimate fate of this rule remains unclear.
“The EPA itself admitted that MATS would impose nearly $10 billion in regulatory compliance costs each year on power plants across the country,” Marino added. “Those costs are passed along to consumers, who despite contradictory claims from this administration, are still struggling to make ends meet.”
He did reiterate, however, that the regulations are burdensome and costly to energy
companies throughout Pennsylvania and the nation.
“I acknowledge this is an important court ruling in favor of checking a totally out-of-control EPA,” Marino said. “It also signals to electric utilities and the coal industry in Pennsylvania that some regulatory relief may be in their future. We must use this decision as a launching point to restore balance and refocus our efforts on creating jobs within the energy sector without unnecessary and self-imposed regulations. That is where my focus will remain — in reforming our dysfunctional regulatory framework.”