U.S. Chamber of Commerce blasts EPA's Clean Power Plan

Thomas J. Donohue, the United States Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, lambasted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final Clean Power Plan on Monday.

“From the beginning, the U.S. Chamber has had serious concerns with the EPA's attempt to restructure our electricity system under the guise of restricting greenhouse gas emissions from domestic power plants,” Donohue said. “While the final rule will take some time to analyze, we know that it still has the same fundamental legal flaws and imposes the same unbearable costs as the original proposal, while having no measurable impact on global emissions."

Released over the weekend, the Clean Power Plan calls for a large reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the nation's coal-burning power plants.

"With these rules, the EPA is trying to stretch its authority beyond recognition and to double down on its attempt to impose an unprecedented takeover of our energy system," Donohue said. "Moreover, the significant changes to the rule's underlying assumptions and technical building blocks were barely even contemplated by EPA in the proposed rule, let alone accompanied by the analysis, input and consultation necessary for a regulation of such unprecedented magnitude.”

The plan would require states to meet specific carbon emission reduction standards based on their individual energy consumption. 

“As dozens of states, the chamber and numerous other stakeholders have discussed, the EPA's effort to shut down existing power plants and thus drive up energy prices for businesses and consumers alike will inflict significant damage to our entire economy and reduce our nation’s global competitiveness without any significant reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions,” Donohue said. “It is a bad deal for America, and we will pursue all available options, including litigation if necessary, to block EPA's regulatory power grab from taking effect.”