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January 31, 2011 – Today, Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson joined Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia in reintroducing legislation to suspend the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gas emissions for two years so Congress can act on the critical issue affecting Nebraska jobs and economy.
“Today, I’m joining colleagues to send a clear message: Nebraska’s farmers, ranchers, business owners, communities and hundreds of thousands of electricity consumers shouldn’t have their economic fortunes determined by the whims of unelected bureaucrats in Washington,” said Senator Nelson. “They should be protected from EPA overreach.
“While carbon emissions should be reduced, Congress, not the EPA, should set the rules as part of comprehensive energy legislation. Just because someone’s frustrated with the pace of Congress isn’t reason enough to rush ahead with rules that could have a dramatic impact on Nebraska jobs and our economy,” Nelson added.
In 2010, Senator Nelson supported a similar effort to suspend EPA regulation of greenhouse gases for two years. He has warned that action by the EPA ahead of Congress could substantially raise Nebraskans’ electricity rates and damage the state’s economy. Many groups representing Nebraska’s agriculture sector, energy users, manufacturers and businesses support a two-year delay in EPA action.
The bill he’s cosponsoring today, along with other Senate colleagues, aims to suspend EPA actions regulating stationary source emissions of greenhouse gases for two years. The goal is to give Congress the time to legislatively address the emissions issues.
Nebraskans who support this effort include:
Gary Gates, President and CEO of Omaha Public Power District, said: “While OPPD is committed to improving the environment and continues to make major investments in renewable and sustainable energy, we oppose the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) efforts to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Clean Air Act and greatly appreciate Senator Nelson’s efforts with Senator Rockefeller to delay such EPA regulation until a long-term solution can be developed by Congress.”
Jay Holmquist, General Manager of the Nebraska Rural Electric Association, said: “We appreciate Senator Nelson’s ongoing efforts to prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Clean Air Act. This delay will allow for a Congressionally driven solution to our nation’s energy needs and will ensure that Nebraska consumers, farmers, and manufacturers can continue to have access to reliable, affordable energy.”
John C. McClure, Interim President & CEO, Nebraska Public Power District: “Nebraska Public Power District believes that the Clean Air Act was not designed to regulate CO2 and that the lack of commercially available control technologies makes regulatory efforts a significant challenge. We appreciate that Senator Nelson recognizes these challenges and is cosponsoring legislation to delay regulation of CO2 under the Clean Air Act.”
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