Obama's New Rules To Cut Coal Emission By 30%, Legislators Say They'll Fight It.
Lemuel Cacho | | Jun 03, 2014 05:39 PM EDT |
(Photo : en.wikipedia.org) Mount Storm Power Plant in West Virginia.
U.S. President Barack Obama's administration unveiled the first environment rules that would cut carbon pollution by 30 percent, but coal-state legislators said they will rally against it.
On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formally announced the new rules on Monday, which many believe would spur prospects of ending climate change globally.
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It is the first time that the EPA has backed Obama, or any other president. The new rules would set the pace to begin regulating carbon pollution caused by power plants - the major source of carbon dioxide emissions.
According to the EPA, the new regulations would "fight climate change climate change, while supplying America with reliable and affordable power. The rules stipulate that carbon pollution will be cut by 30 percent from 2005 levels by the year 2030.
Gina McCarthy, an EPA administrator, said the new rules are crucial to fight climate change and critical to Obama's efforts to a cleaner environment.
In a statement, McCarthy said the EPA will deliver a vital piece of the president's climate plan that would cut harmful CO2 produced by American power plants.
"This is not just about disappearing polar bears and melting ice caps," McCarthy said during a speech at EPA's headquarters. "This is about protecting our health and protecting our homes. This is about protecting local economies and this is about protecting jobs."
However, coal-state legislators have accused Obama and his administration for using back door channels to restrict emissions. The legislators said they will rally against the 645-page plan on the grounds that the new rules would cost jobs and make electricity consumption more expensive.
Lawmakers from coal-dependent states such as Kentucky and West Virginia said they will introduce legislation that would stop the EPA on its tracks. States like Kentucky and West Virginia rely heavily on coal to fuel their economies.
Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky called the new rules an assault on the U.S. economy and described it as an illegal use of the president's executive power.
Other legislators such as Rep. Nick Rahall (D), W. Va. and Rep. David McKinley (R) W.Va., said in a statement that they would also introduce a bipartisan legislation that will prevent the new rules from destroying the West Virginian economy.
Tagsenvironmental protection agency, New Rules, Carbon emissions, carbon dioxide, coal, Coal Power Plants
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