Jun 5, 2013 3 min read

During these difficult economic times, people have unfortunately become used to energy bills that seem to be getting more expensive by the year. Yet, amazingly, the commonwealth, through the development of Marcellus Shale, has become energy independent. But our residents’ electricity bills are fragile and are in danger of becoming even more so. This could happen because of the Environmental Protection Agency’s eagerness to implement New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), which would force all coal-based power plants to emit no more than 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour.

Today, the most efficient coal-fired plants emit 1,800 pounds. The standards are ?a true death blow to the industry that literally fuels Pennsylvania’s economy. Coal provides almost 50 percent of our state’s electricity, meaning this regulation would cripple Pennsylvania’s energy independence, forcing rates to skyrocket. Additionally, this decree does not even give the plants a chance to meet these impossible thresholds since it bans new upgrades that would make them more efficient and clean. The opportunity for manufacturing and construction jobs that would be created from these upgrades will be gone, as well as the chance for economic stimulus in a suffering economic sector.

The real question: Why does the Obama administration want to do this? It is no coincidence that companies that phase out their coal operations get ?credits? that they can sell to other energy companies to keep their coal plants running. The answer to this question is cap and trade,?the unfulfilled far-left dream, that could possibly become a reality.

I believe that we must be responsible stewards of the environment, not just for the benefit of today but for the benefit of tomorrow. Yet we can do this without crippling job growth and energy security. To that end, the coal industry has made significant gains to reduce its CO2 footprint by replacing old plants with ones that operate anywhere from 70 percent to 90 percent cleaner. These improvements have been made willingly, despite anti-coal pressure from Washington, D.C. and the lobbyists representing radical environmentalists. The industry should be encouraged, not punished, by unrealistic emission standards, as technology is improved to reach near-zero emissions.

The Obama administration needs to understand that these advancements in lowering emissions cannot happen overnight, with current achievements coming from decades of private investment. Instead of demonizing an American success story, the EPA should focus on an ?all-of-the-above? energy strategy that keeps costs low for the consumer by not shutting down reliable and affordable energy which provides family-sustaining jobs that many people in our commonwealth depend upon.

As president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, I know full well the destructive job-killing tactics of the Obama administration and their radical leftist special interest allies. Time and time again, burdensome regulations from the federal government have hurt Pennsylvania’s energy sector and its ancillary industries in everything from construction, manufacturing, and food service, all to support an ideology that hurts business and job creation. Hopefully, our elected representatives in Congress will take action to stop the New Source Performance Standards from ever going into effect, not just in Pennsylvania, but in the United States where coal produced power is still king.

Jeff Kotula

Washington

Kotula is president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce.