While legal arguments won’t be heard for a few more months on the Obama administration’s controversial Clean Power Plan from its Environmental Protection Agency, a U.S. House subcommittee chaired by Rep. Jim Bridenstine recently explored the plan.
It was clear where Bridenstine, a Republican from Tulsa stood on the issue.
“The Clean Power Plan does nothing to avert the future temperature rises or prevent future sea rise,” he proclaimed in opening the hearing of the Environment Subcommittee of he U.S. House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. “However, the cost to Americans will be $29 to $30 billion a year.”
Bridenstine is chairman of the subcommittee and called the Clean Power Plan a “war on the poor” that will increase economic inequities across the nation.
“Electric prices for consumers in 40 states could increase by at least 10 percent or more. Prices in 17 of those states could increase by at least 17 percent or more. That includes my home state of Oklahoma,” stated Rep. Bridenstine.
One of those called to testify was Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, a well-known opponent of the plan. He was among more than two dozen attorneys general who filed suit challenging the legality of the Clean Power Plan.
“We don’t think government regulators should be picking winners and losers in the energy sector,” said Pruitt. “Ultimately, you are the arbitors of this decision and therein lies the objection to this plan—this body did not decide the plan.”
He pointed out that 5 members of the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay on the plan because they those the plan was unlawful.
“So to the members of this committee who strongly support the Clean Power Plan, as a matter of policy, I say to you this, pass a bill,” said Pruitt. “Let democracy decide whether the Clean Power Plan is right for America. But we didn’t get democracy. We got a regulatory cram-down through the actions of the EPA.”
Listen to Rep. Bridenstine’s opening statement.
