U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today released the below statement following the Obama Administration’s release of proposed regulations on new power plants:
The Administration’s decision is a direct attack on coal-fired power plants and detrimental to the future for coal as an energy resource. This Administration has repeatedly stated its energy policy as ‘all of the above,’ but continues to issue regulations that make it impossible to find a viable path forward for coal. This rule would have lasting, harmful impacts on North Dakotans – not just the coal industry, but nearly all consumers as coal provides almost 90 percent of our state’s electricity. Here are the facts: Coal is an abundant, affordable resource for generation of electricity. Sadly, the Administration won’t say that and instead chooses to choke the coal industry with unattainable regulations.
During the coming 60-day comment period, I plan to meet with the EPA Administrator to strongly explain how these regulations are completely unachievable based on current technology and are cost prohibitive. Whether or not this regulation becomes final, I have already started to work with other Senators on a legislative solution that stops pushing coal to the wayside, and instead seeks ways for coal to remain the valuable source of energy that it currently is.
We need a true all-of-the-above approach, which includes coal, wind, oil, biofuels, and natural gas – just as North Dakota is already doing. Instead of pursuing these unachievable regulations that put consumers and our country’s economy at a severe disadvantage, the Administration should work to help find a feasible path forward for coal by encouraging continued investments in new and existing clean coal technologies.
Amen.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have been in office since 1987.
37 Senators have been in office more than 10 years.
16 have been in more than 20.
172 Representatives have been in office more than 10 years
69 have been in for more than 20.
I don’t care what party they’re in, if they’ve been in office for more than 8 years, odds are they’re part of the problem. More than 58% of congress has been in office longer than the president. The president is a floating head who takes the blame while the people who actually are responsible for the budget, the laws, and the economy, those people keep getting voted back in.
Last time I checked, it was Congress that passed the laws so, Ms. Heitkamp, pass a law to limit Exec Orders and EPA regulation. That would fix your issue.
Read the last sentence first: “the Administration should work to help find a feasible path forward for coal by encouraging continued investments in new and existing clean coal technologies.”
Disregard everything she says above. She is saying coal, as used today, is unacceptable.
“Investments in new and existing clean coal technologies” might make coal acceptable. Might not.
She is trying to hide from who she is, because she knows it won’t sell at the ballot box.
“The Administration’s decision is a direct attack.” Voters like me don’t see it as the administration. We see it as Democrat action. I think she knows that, and she knows she’s in trouble.
Sen. Heitkamp, you should not be surprised to see these regulations spewing forth from your ideological bed mates. This is what you get when an economic ignoramus (Obama) achieves the highest seat of power and directs his unaccountable minions to follow him as the Pied Piper into environmental Neverland, where non-existent technologies replace that which provides the highest quality of life on earth. You’d better be prepared to do battle and suffer all manner of insults for daring to question his orthodoxy.