Obama’s new climate plan relies on unilateral executive power

[CG6468]

Obama’s new climate plan relies on unilateral executive power
7:15 AM 06/25/2013

Under pressure from environmentalists, President Barack Obama’s new plan to tackle global warming relies on executive power to corral power plants.

The president calls for the Environmental Protection Agency to “expeditiously” set limits on carbon dioxide emissions for new and existing power plants, a move that will be hailed by environmentalists and decried as debilitating by the struggling coal industry.

“To accomplish these goals, President Obama is issuing a Presidential Memorandum directing the Environmental Protection Agency to work expeditiously to complete carbon pollution standards for both new and existing power plants,” states the Obama plan. “This work will build on the successful first-term effort to develop greenhouse gas and fuel economy standards for cars and trucks.”

“In developing the standards, the President has asked the Environmental Protection Agency to build on state leadership, provide flexibility, and take advantage of a wide range of energy sources and technologies including many actions in this plan,” the document continues.

Regulations previously proposed by the EPA to limit emissions at new power plants would effectively ban the construction of new coal-fired power plants unless they utilize carbon capture technology, which the industry argues is not commercially viable.

“We do not believe EPA regulations are an effective way to address concerns about global climate change,” said Mike Duncan, president of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. “If the government creates standards that are not practical, they risk not just shutting down existing plants but also halting the development of additional clean coal technology facilities. Taking America’s most significant source of electricity offline would have disastrous consequences for our nation’s economy.”

He promised that prices would increase dramatically

[Dori]

He promised that prices would increase dramatically

Well at least that's something that the dumb voters would understand, and not like either.

[rich_t]

Doesn't Congress have oversight of the EPA?

They can damn sure defund it.

[CG6468]

Doesn't Congress have oversight of the EPA?

No. The EPA can and does pass laws as it sees fit.

[rich_t]

No. The EPA can and does pass laws as it sees fit.

According to the COTUS, only Congress has that legitimate authority.

But it's been a loooong time since the idiots in DC have respected that document.

[CG6468]

According to the COTUS, only Congress has that legitimate authority.

But it's been a loooong time since the idiots in DC have respected that document.

Some time ago the idiots in the house painted white gave this power to the EPA. I cannot remember when.

[Mr Mannn]

Go ahead then. Health Care is skyrocketing before the 2014 election. Lets let energy skyrocket too.

It's not like either of them can be blamed on Bush.

[Freeper]

Well at least that's something that the dumb voters would understand, and not like either.

They will just blame conservatives for it.