Coats Votes to Stop Job-Killing EPA Rule

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Dan Coats (R-Ind.) today voted for a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Utility MACT rule.

“I am disappointed the Senate failed to protect American jobs from another damaging EPA rule,” said Coats, a member of the Senate Energy Committee. “While President Obama claims to be focused on turning around the economy, his own agency continues to impose rules and regulations that will put Americans on the unemployment line. After visiting Indiana utilities and power plants, it is clear that this EPA rule would be devastating to the economy and Hoosier ratepayers. I believe we can clean our air in a responsible way that doesn’t result in significant job losses and skyrocketing energy costs.”

The EPA’s Utility MACT rule requires a decrease in mercury emissions at power plants. Under current EPA rules, the compliance date for Utility MACT is January 1, 2015. The National Economic Research Associates (NERA) estimates net employment losses of 1.44 million across the country as a result of the Utility MACT rule and other EPA regulations set to take effect. By 2016, NERA estimates that American ratepayers will see an average increase of 11.5 percent because of these rules.  In some regions of the United States, increases of up to 23.5 percent may occur.

CRA measures allow Congress to overturn federal regulations issued by government agencies like the EPA via a simple majority vote. Today’s CRA vote on the Utility MACT rule failed 46 to 53.

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