Georgia Sens. Isakson, Perdue blast Clean Power Plan

WASHINGTON — President Obama’s executive action Monday that requires U.S. power plants to reduce emissions by 32 percent in 15 years to combat climate change got a negative reaction from Georgia’s U.S. senators.

“The Obama Administration continues to pursue policies that will raise the cost of living for hardworking taxpayers, this new rule being the latest example in a long-term trend,” Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., said. “Coal provides more than two-thirds of Georgia’s electricity and supports 8,800 jobs in our state.

“I will fight this energy tax that will destroy jobs and harm our economy. If the President truly wants to help our economy, he should approve the Keystone XL pipeline, which would create thousands of jobs and help secure our nation’s energy future.”

Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., agreed.

“President Obama’s constant barrage of overreaching regulatory mandates are crippling our economy’s ability to fully recover and stifling our global competitiveness,” Perdue said. “The damaging effects of this hostile executive action will drive up energy prices for Georgia families and businesses, while the ripple effect throughout our economy will increase costs of basic necessities for those already struggling to make ends meet.

“The Obama Administration’s short-sighted policies continue to hurt the very people they claim to help, which is why I will fight them with every tool at my disposal.”

The senators said Obama’s Clean Power Plan requires greater reduction of emissions than in the rule proposed in June 2014, will impact 600 coal-powered plants and gives each state one year to submit a plan to the federal Environmental Protection Agency to implement the federal rules.

In announcing the Clean Power Plan, Obama said Monday that it was a necessary step. “Climate change is no longer just about the future that we’re predicting for our children or our grandchildren; it’s about the reality that we’re living with every day, right now,” he said, adding that the Pentagon had identified climate change as an immediate risk to national security.

“Right now,” the president said, “our power plants are the source of about a third of America’s carbon pollution. That’s more pollution than our cars, our airplanes and our homes generate combined. That pollution contributes to climate change, which degrades the air our kids breathe.

“But there have never been federal limits on the amount of carbon that power plants can dump into the air. Think about that. We limit the amount of toxic chemicals like mercury and sulfur and arsenic in our air or our water — and we’re better off for it. But existing power plants can still dump unlimited amounts of harmful carbon pollution into the air.”

The reductions of carbon emissions under the plan, Obama said, will keep 870 million tons of carbon dioxide pollution out of the atmosphere, which he said was the equivalent of cutting all emission due to electricity from 108 million American homes or taking 166 million autos off the road ways.

In Georgia, according to the state Environmental Protection Division, the executive action would require the state to reduce its baseline of 1,598 pounds of carbon dioxide per mega-watt hour to 1,049 pounds by 2030.

“While we are going to need time to fully assess all the aspects of the final rule, I want to ensure that Georgians continue to have access to affordable, reliable electricity,” Gov. Nathan Deal said. “I have instructed Director (of EPD Judson) Turner and the Environmental Protection Division to work with our state’s public utilities, state governmental entities and other stakeholders to develop the best approach to this rule for Georgia.”

Georgia officials had concerns that the state would be unfairly penalized for taking early action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through the investment in nuclear-powered units 3 and 4 at Plant Vogtle. An initial review of the final rule indicates that this significant issue has been addressed, EPD officials said.

“ I am pleased to see that the final rule does not penalize the foresight of the energy sector and the Public Service Commission in Georgia for investing in and building new nuclear generation capacity,” Turner said. “To do so would have sent exactly the wrong message to states and utilities that have proactively planned for and developed a diverse energy portfolio.”

Turner’s office said the EPD will coordinate with the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority and the Public Service Commission while it works with stakeholders to find the most efficient way to meet the requirements with the least financial impact on ratepayers. EPD officials say the state’s Board of Natural Resources likely will have to make changes to the Georgia Rules for Air Quality Control before the EPD can submit its state plan to EPA. After it is submitted, there is a two-year period for final rule adoption, EPD officials said.

Reports say Obama’s action is certain to receive legal challenges from states and industries. Isakson and Perdue are original co-sponsors the Affordable Reliable Electricity Now Act of 2015, that would delay the rule until legal proceedings from a dozen states are concluded, while also giving states the ability to opt out of the rule and preventing EPA from withholding federal highway funds to a state that doesn’t submit a plan.