EPA unveils sweeping plan to slash power plant pollution

Reuters ^ | 06/02/2014 | BY VALERIE VOLCOVICI AND JEFF MASON

[SeekAndFind]

The U.S. power sector must cut carbon dioxide emissions 30 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels, according to federal regulations unveiled on Monday that form the centerpiece of the Obama administration's climate change strategy.

The Environmental Protection Agency's proposal is one of the most significant environmental rules proposed by the United States, and could transform the power sector, which relies on coal for nearly 38 percent of electricity.

Gina McCarthy, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, said on Monday that between 2020 and 2030, the U.S. amount of carbon dioxide the proposal would reduce under the plan would be more than double the carbon pollution from the entire power sector in 2012.

[TomServo]

Let’s go Nuclear instead.

[don-o]

Jay Carney just said that electricity price will drop 8%.

[lastchance]

So shall we all start planning where our life as nomads? Since I’m pretty sure “hunter gatherer” will be a predominant on the resumes of the future.

[lastchance]

You forgot “eliminate worthless eaters.”

[demshateGod]

I was being sarcastic. The Supremacy Clause implies some check on the federal government by the states. Only federal laws “pursuant to the constitution” are to be considered enforceable. Who deems the law “pursuant to the constitution”? The supreme court? It doesn’t make since that a body even farther removed from We the People would dictate what pursuant means.

I think the Convention of the Stats is a laughable waste of time. With one stroke of the pen, one phone call, 5 judges, every effort made by the COS people WILL be wiped out. Nullification is the only tool to avert serfdom.

[SeekAndFind]

Let’s go Nuclear instead.

What happened here will ensure that this never happens ( see Germany ):

[mojito]

So, the EPA gets to draft the law, execute and enforce the law, and interpret and judge who is abiding by the law.

“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”

- James Madison, Federalist Papers

How the Founders must weep at what we've done to the Republic, and how easily men who pretend to call themselves free acquiesce to the surrender of their liberty.

[demshateGod]

And, personally, I don’t care if nullification is constitutional or not.

[justlurking]

Can Congress stop this?

Yes. They can revoke the EPA's statutory authority to impose these regulations.

However, they won't be able to do so without a President that will sign the bill, unless they can override his veto.

Obama just handed the Republicans another campaign issue. It remains to be seen whether they will take advantage of it.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: Jay Carney just said that electricity price will drop 8%.

I bet you Josh earnest will continue saying the same thing but the percentage will be higher.

Of course Obama did promise that he would he would cut the annual cost of healthcare by $2,500...

[Red Badger]

You mean INCREASE...................

[pfony1]

Let’s see now...

Our Federal Governmnet will promote the myth that a trivial increase in CO2 in our atmosphere will cause a significant incease in atmospheric temperatures by establishing a new National Religion involving worship of “the-Earth-as-it-is-today”.

Citizens will be penalized if they do not make substantial “contributions” to support this new religion. “Skeptics” will be punished as heretics. “Indulgences” will be sold to insiders.

Do you suppose we should clue in the “Atheists” about this new ti ebetween church and state??

[Rinnwald]

NULLIFY THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACT AND IMPEACH OBAMA.

Oooh, from your keyboard to God's ears.

Now that we've had a laugh, we can retreat from the fantasy that we still live in a rational republic based on the rule of law.

The Founding Fathers defeated monarchy. They knew about socialism, known to them as mob rule, and its attendant evils. Their construct had a fairly clean run for about 70 years, until internal issues started to alter the republic. They weren't stupid, and they expected future generations to fix their own problems, while maintaining a love for freedom and responsibility of the individual. Alas, the human mind proved too craven for that. We'll give them credit that the strong foundation they laid allowed for a slow erosion rather than a fast collapse.

[Orangedog]

It’s a shame that the house GOP partnered with the obama white house on this.

[Lazamataz]

I used to fear the looming breakup of the United States, because then the Constitution and Bill of Rights would then be rendered meaningless.

I no longer have that fear. The Constitution and Bill of Rights are almost rendered meaningless already.

[CedarDave]

“Given the astronomical price we pay for climate inaction, the most costly thing we can do is to do nothing,” McCarthy told a room full of staff members and environmental allies at the EPA headquarters in Washington.

Bovine excrement!

[molson209]

Also in this 600+ pages, Banning of Candles ,Kerosene lamps and wood burning stoves ?

[SeekAndFind]

RE: It’s a shame that the house GOP partnered with the obama white house on this.

Here’s whats in the plan...

* First, the EPA would set targets for each state for carbon emissions reductions.

* Then state governments would come up with their own plans for hitting these targets. The proposed regulation in essence gives them different approaches they could try.

1) They could renovate existing coal-fired plants with newer, more clean-burning technology;

2) they could switch coal plants to natural gas, which produces much less carbon; they could try to persuade residents to be more efficient in their use of electricity; or

3) they could band together with other states in a cap-and-trade network for emission reductions.

In a cap-and-trade network, companies would buy and sell permits allowing them to produce a certain amount of carbon emissions. Clean producers would be the sellers, while dirtier producers would be the buyers.

What happens next?

LOBBYING AND LOTS OF IT.

The EPA just published its rules today.

That’s the official start to a year of comments by affected parties until the final rule gets issued in 2015. Industry groups, many Republicans, and some coal-state Democrats don’t like this proposal and they are sure to weigh in with complaints about its costs and increased regulatory burden.

That my friend, is exactly what politicians want. How else are you going to get rich off being in Congress?

[PATRIOT1876]

EPA: DESRTOYING CIVILIZATION TO SAVE THE PLANET!

[lastchance]

Nope. Loss of reliable power, especially during times of extreme heat or cold can be deadly to vulnerable populations like the poor elderly. This will mean quite a few people will have to chose between utilities and basic needs such as groceries.

You are also right in the sense that the loss of businesses due to the rules will lead to more people becoming dependent on the Government.

This administration is criminal.