Archive for October, 2011

MACT Fact #1: Utility MACT is Expensive

By mid-December, the EPA is planning to enact the Utility MACT rule, which would place unnecessary burden on America’s economic recovery. This week, Behind the Plug will feature five facts about the Utility MACT rule that show the EPA needs to slow down and assess these regulations before they’re enacted. Share this post on Facebook by clicking “Like” above.

The EPA’s proposed Utility MACT rule is, simply put, the most expensive rule that EPA has ever written for coal-fueled power plants.

By the EPA’s own analysis, Utility MACT will cost $11.4 billion in 2015—making it more expensive than the Acid Rain Program from 1990, which cost $3.75 billion in 2010, and the 2005 Clean Air Interstate Rule, with a cost of $4.6 billion in 2015.

Together with three other EPA regulations, National Economic Research Associates found, the Utility MACT Rule would cost electricity producers $21 billion annually from 2012 to 2020. Additionally, an average of 183,000 American jobs could be lost per year, and electricity rates could increase by double digits in many regions of the U.S.

America’s economy just can’t afford to be buried by regulations right now.

Share this post with friends and family on Twitter and Facebook using the buttons above. It’s important to spread the word about how damaging the Utility MACT Rule will be for Americans.

31 October 2011, 11:16 am | Posted in Affordability, Current Affairs, Energy Issues, National Affairs, Policy and Legislation | 6 comments »

The Bottom Line: Coal Keeps America Strong

October is National Energy Awareness Month! The White House created National Energy Awareness Month to reinforce just how important energy is to the United States. To celebrate, Behind the Plug will feature a series about energy in America. Read part 1, part 2 and part 3.

National Energy Awareness Month is coming to a close, and we’ve spent time this month thinking and talking about energy in America. We’ve shared where energy in the U.S. comes from (nearly half from coal), some key terms about energy policy and about how we meet the increasing demand for more electricity using clean coal technologies.

As we’ve said in the past, we need many sources of energy production to meet our country’s growing demand for electricity, but America still relies on coal’s always available baseload power. Coal is able to meet the country’s constant need for electricity and that’s important for places like hospitals and data centers that all rely on the dependable, stable electricity that coal provides.

The U.S. has more coal reserves than any other country in the world—nearly 272 billion tons of coal. The country uses about 1.1 billion tons annually, and at this rate, America’s coal reserves will last nearly 250 years. The future of American electricity is bright with coal.

Throughout the other months of the year, when you’re waiting for your coffee to brew or warming up by a heater, keep in mind where the majority of our electricity comes from: America gets more electricity from coal than from any other source.

But Energy Awareness Month is not over yet! Let your friends know with a tweet: Coal Keeps America Strong.

27 October 2011, 11:15 am | Posted in Energy Independence, Reliability | 1 comment »

What EPA Regulations Mean for Missourians

America’s Power Tour recently took us to Peabody Energy in St. Louis, where we caught up with Morry Davis, the Director of Government Relations for Peabody Energy. Davis spoke with us about the impacts proposed EPA regulations would have on Missourians, and described the balance between the recovering economy and the environment.

With more than 80 percent of its electricity coming from coal, Missouri would be heavily impacted by proposed EPA regulations. If these regulations are enacted, Missouri could lose 76,000 jobs, and electricity rates could increase by 23.1 percent, according to a study from the National Economic Research Associates.

“Primarily people want to see job creation…they’re also concerned about the environment, but everything has to be in balance,” says Davis.

The EPA has not assessed the impact that all of these regulations would have on small businesses and families across the country. And those are exactly who will be impacted the most in Missouri – the families and small businesses.

“Economic recovery is a primary issue, but that shouldn’t come at the expense of environmental progress. There’s ways to do both, you just have to have well crafted policies,” says Davis. “[People are] asking elected officials as well as EPA and the current administration to take that into account when trying to put these rules into place.”

If you’re concerned about regulations’ effect on Missouri, join Energy for Missouri Jobs.

26 October 2011, 1:07 pm | Posted in America's Power Tour, In the States, Jobs, Policy and Legislation | 1 comment »

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