Today ATR sent the following letter the the Hill:

Dear Senator:

On behalf of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) and millions of taxpayers nationwide, I urge you to support Sen. Jim Inhofe’s (R-Okla.) resolution of disapproval which looks to overturn the EPA’s Utility Maximum Achievable Control Technology regulation, also known as “Utility MACT.” Filed under authority granted by the Congressional Review Act, this resolution would halt the EPA’s efforts to implement destructive, job-killing policies.

With Congress rejecting President Obama’s Cap-and-Trade proposal, the Administration inappropriately utilized the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to achieve similar ends. Sen. Inhofe’s resolution of disapproval affords Congress the opportunity to restore long held understandings of Executive and Legislative delegations of power and responsibilities.

The EPA’s own analysis found that the Utility MACT regulation alone will cost $10 billion annually through 2016, making this the most expensive regulation ever written for power plants. This cost estimate does not even include other EPA regulations’ price tags, which compound costs, and increase the total burden of EPA rules.

If allowed to go into effect, Utility MACT costs will be passed to American families and job creators resulting in increased electricity prices and the possible elimination of 1.4 million jobs. The Chamber of Commerce notes that the Utility MACT rule has already resulted in the announced shutdown of nine coal-fired power plants in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, further disadvantaging these struggling states.

Claims by the EPA of any health benefits related to Utility MACT are greatly exaggerated. In fact, mercury is the only hazardous air pollutant (HAP) which the EPA quantified any health benefits for. But these health benefits are minimal, only achieving between $500,000 and $6 million in health savings per year. Forcing coal-fueled power plants to spend at least $10 billion retrofitting facilities to achieve comparably minuscule health savings fails any cost-benefit analysis.

It is for these reasons I urge you to support Sen. Inhofe’s joint resolution of disapproval; it is imperative Congress prevent the EPA from governing through regulatory fiat.

Onward,
Grover Norquist
President, Americans for Tax Reform

Posted by Chris Prandoni on Thursday, February 23, 2012 10:14 AM EST

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