Coats Joins Senate Effort to Stop Job-Killing EPA Rule

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Dan Coats (R-Ind.) today supported a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Utility MACT rule. This measure allows Congress to overturn federal regulations issued by government agencies like the EPA via a simple majority vote.

“After visiting with Indiana utilities and power plants, it is clear that this rule will result in significant job losses and skyrocketing energy rates for Hoosiers,” Coats said. “We cannot allow the EPA to deliver another blow to an already weak economy. This resolution will protect Indiana ratepayers and businesses by reining in the EPA’s overreach.”

The EPA’s Utility MACT rule requires a decrease in mercury emissions at power plants. Under current EPA rules, the compliance date for Utility MACT is January 1, 2015. The National Economic Research Associates (NERA) estimates net employment losses of 1.44 million across the country as a result of the Utility MACT rule and other EPA regulations set to take effect. By 2016, NERA estimates that American ratepayers will see an average increase of 11.5 percent because of these rules.  In some regions of the United States, increases of up to 23.5 percent may occur.

In November, Coats introduced a bipartisan bill with Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) that would create reasonable timelines for utilities to comply with two major EPA rules, including the Utility MACT rule. The Manchin-Coats Fair Compliance Act has support from both sides of the aisle, along with business and labor groups from the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity to the United Mine Workers.

Learn more about the Manchin-Coats legislation, click here.

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