U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) voted on Wednesday to disapprove of two Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations for new and existing power plants.
The two resolutions – S.J. Res 23 and 24 – passed the House by votes of 235-188 and 242-180, respectively. S.J. Res 23 would nullify the new source performance standards (NSPS) that set carbon dioxide standards for new and modified power plants, while S.J. Res 24 nullifies the Clean Power Plan (CPP), which sets carbon emissions standards for existing power plants. The NSPS and CPP were published by the EPA in October.
Both S.J. Res 23 and 24 passed the Senate by separate votes of 52-46 on Nov. 17.
Congress is allowed to pass a joint resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) within 60 days that would nullify a specific agency rule. If a joint resolution of disapproval is approved by both the House and Senate and is then signed by the president, or if a presidential veto is overridden by Congress, the rule is not allowed to go into effect or to continue in effect.
“There is no question that these burdensome regulations will drive up costs for businesses and consumers alike,” Thornberry said. “We all want clear air and clean water, but with these rules, the administration is seeking to regulate where it could not legislate. They show that the president and his EPA have prioritized their anti-fossil fuel agenda above the reliability and affordability of electricity in America.”
According to an October study by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), retail energy prices in the state of Texas could increase by up to 18 percent by 2030 as a result of EPA regulations. The study also estimates that Texas will need to retire approximately 25 percent of its current coal-fired power plant capacity.
ERCOT added that the power grid in Texas “could see multiple unit retirements within a short time frame” that would result in “periods of reduced generating reserves and increase the risk of emergency operations during periods of peak customer demand, such as the hottest days of summer.”