Posted on 06/10/2011 10:31:06 AM PDT by jazusamo
(CNSNews.com) - Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, the former governor of coal-producing West Virginia, is blasting the Obama administration for using the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate coal-fueled power plants out of business.
On Thursday, American Electric Power company announced that to comply with a series of EPA regulations, it will close five coal-fired plants -- three in West Virginia and one each in Ohio and Virginia -- at a net cost of 600 jobs.
American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states.
"We have worked for months to develop a compliance plan that will mitigate the impact of these rules for our customers and preserve jobs, but because of the unrealistic compliance timelines in the EPA proposals, we will have to prematurely shut down nearly 25 percent of our current coal-fueled generating capacity, cut hundreds of good power plant jobs, and invest billions of dollars in capital to retire, retrofit and replace coal-fueled power plants," said AEP Chairman and CEO Michael G. Morris.
"The sudden increase in electricity rates and impacts on state economies will be significant at a time when people and states are still struggling,” he added.
The plant closures in West Virginia alone will result in 242 lost jobs -- "and that's simply wrong," Manchin said:
“Let me be clear, it’s decisions like the one made by AEP today that demonstrate the urgent need to rein in government agencies like the EPA, preventing them from overstepping their bounds and imposing regulations that not only cost us good American jobs, but hurt our economy.
“It is because of out-of-control agencies like the EPA as well as the need to protect American jobs that I sponsored the REINS Act -- a commonsense measure that will help protect and create jobs by reigning in needless or burdensome regulations, and that will put responsibility back where it belongs – in the hands of the people who are elected to govern and lead this great nation,” Manchin concluded.
During his campaign for president, Barack Obama admitted that "if somebody wants to build a coal fired plant, they can. It's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted."
VIDEO 36 seconds
The cost of AEP’s compliance plan could range from $6-$8 billion in capital investment through the end of the decade, the company said. That's in addition to the $7.2 billion that AEP has invested since 1990 to reduce emissions from its coal-fired plants.
The company noted that annual emissions of nitrogen oxides from AEP plants are 80 percent lower today than they were in 1990, and sulfur dioxide emissions are 73 percent lower than they were in 1990.
“We support regulations that achieve long-term environmental benefits while protecting customers, the economy and the reliability of the electric grid, but the cumulative impacts of the EPA’s current regulatory path have been vastly underestimated, particularly in Midwest states dependent on coal to fuel their economies, AEP said.
The company said while some jobs will be created from the installation of emissions-reduction equipment, AEP expects a net loss of around 600 power plant jobs with annual wages totaling approximately $40 million as a result of complying with the proposed EPA rules.
“We will continue to work through the EPA process with the hope that the agency will recognize the cumulative impact of the proposed rules and develop a more reasonable compliance schedule. We also will continue talking with lawmakers in Washington about a legislative approach that would achieve the same long-term environmental goals with less negative impact on jobs and the U.S. economy,” Morris said.
“With more time and flexibility, we will get to the same level of emission reductions, but it will cost our customers less and will prevent premature job losses, extend the construction job benefits, and ensure the ongoing reliability of the electric system.”
AEP said the following plants will be closed by the end of 2014:
-- Glen Lyn Plant, Glen Lyn, Va.
-- Kammer Plant, Moundsville, W.Va.
-- Kanawha River Plant, Glasgow, W.Va.
-- Phillip Sporn Plant, New Haven, W.Va.
-- Picway Plant, Lockbourne, Ohio
In addition, AEP plans to scale back power generation at six plants.
Him...so a handful of DC bureaucrats...sitting around looking for something to do a thousand mile away...screw the families of 600 locally...and the other locals sit around and do....what? nothing?...What are they waiting for? Next year there WILL BE a “few” more DC bureaucrats...sitting around ..looking for something to do..to justify THEIR next promotion cycle..screwing a few more Americans somewhere...
This is precisely what King George and his minions were doing to the colonialists 235 years ago. Our government has become an unregulated predator...while the people we vote to go up there and “control” the beast become intimidated into to fondling themselves and taking pictures of it rather than doing their jobs
Proabably, considering in his twisted world acting stuipidly means actually doing your job.
Remember this?
“Obama Cranks Up White House Thermostat: “You Could Grow Orchids In There”
Huffington Post | Dave Burdick | January 29, 2009 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/29/obama-cranks-up-white-hou_n_162127.html
The WH @ a rather warm 78 degrees.....in winter
Talk about it and vote with the creep in the wh
I agree.Our county is taking a major hit with this with 2 closures on this list.One is in the next county but many who work there live here.I wonder if this has anything to do with these counties being 2 of the counties that did not vote for Obama in 2008? Our unemployment rate is already at 13% s this will likely bump it to much higher.
I have no answer for that but to say that when it hit near 100 2 days ago part of our county here that is dependant on Conesville power plant which is one on the list for scale back had 1/2 the county ina black out for better than 12 hours. This is not a good idea and I know these plants send power to the east coast too/My faer is they will black us out in order to provide for the cities.
I have no answer for that but to say that when it hit near 100º 2 days ago part of our county here that is dependant on Conesville power plant which is one on the list for scale back had 1/2 the county in a black out for better than 12 hours. This is not a good idea and I know these plants send power to the east coast too, My fear is they will black us out in order to provide for the cities.
Did not the “Zero” say that he was going to put the coal industry out of business? This is “Him” keeping another campaign promise.
So true. They keep threatening to defund the EPA but I’m not seeing any action. If this keeps up we will all be sitting in the dark by a candle.
First thought on reading the headline: gotta be one who’s up for reelection in ‘12. Once Manchin is in for life, as is the WV way, he’ll go back to being a good Dem. Not to worry.
Manchin’s better as a D. Look at what Brown, Snowe, and Collins do to R’s. I can see a bunch more Scoop Jackson D’s coming down the pike in coming elections, only this time the only issues they’ll be liberal about are ones that are essentially fringe.
On business, defense, and regulations, they’ll be deep red R’s.
More base load generating capacity out the window because of this Marxist idiot administration.
He intends to shut the USA down too; now what? We have eunuchs in Congress sitting on their thumbs while we’re being destroyed! Anyone wonder if Boner is standing in DC right this minute crying and wringing his limp hands?
” Anyone wonder if Boner is standing in DC right this minute crying and wringing his limp hands? “
I ain’t wunderin....
From 2008.
The US is about to move from high energy costs to an actual shortage. Wait to see what happens to the economy when there is a real shortage of energy. Is the great federal government going to ride to the rescue with a rationing scheme?
How are you going to pay for imported oil when the dollar falls to half of its present value? This will not end well.
This needs to be repeated often
****” If I have to complete an Environmental Impact Study to wash my car, then why shouldn’t the EPA have to complete an Economic Impact Study for their rules?” *****
Thanks Mikey
TT
Think about this- wind power cost about 80 dollars a megawatt to generate; solar about 200 dollars!
Are you ready to pay that?
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