June 11, 2010

(Washington, DC) The American Council of Affordable and Reliable Energy (ACARE), condemns the Senate’s vote to not stop EPA’s regulation of carbon dioxide and other Greenhouse Gases (GHGs). The Senate vote, under the Congressional Review Act, would have prevented the EPA from moving ahead with a unilateral decision to bring forth new costly regulations and immense taxes on American families and businesses.

“We salute the Senators that stood up and said un-elected bureaucrats should not be making energy policies that will dramatically impact every business and every family across the nation,” said Mike Carey, President of ACARE. “EPA’s attempt to regulate GHGs is nothing more than an assault on taxpayers, the economy and the energy sector. The EPA is grabbing power for itself that Congress has not delegated to that agency.”

Because cap and trade legislation was stymied in the Senate, the EPA tried to push forward through an “endangerment finding” that carbon dioxide is dangerous to human health and grant itself extraordinary powers to regulate nearly every business and industry.

“Our country is at a pivotal crossroads where we need to place American jobs at the forefront instead of a green, job-killing, agenda. The Administration’s plan to regulate GHGs would force our manufacturing base to outsource their jobs to China and India where no such environmental regulations exist,” Carey continued. “With unemployment hovering at ten percent, we need to curtail stifling regulations that will ensnare farmers, ranchers, restaurants, hospitals, churches and small businesses, as well as energy intensive industries in addition to causing huge spikes in the cost of energy.”

EPA will address by fiat what Congress alone should have the authority to address and citizens will not be able to contact their elected representatives with their concerns. Experts estimate these new regulations would ensnare 20 percent of the economy and cause energy price increases for every American family at the pump and when they turn down their air conditioner.

“Unfortunately, the US Senate let down the American people today,” concluded Carey. “The Senate had a chance through bi-partisan cooperation to send a powerful message to the White House that the United States needs more jobs, not more regulations, but they instead punted.”

ACARE is committed to providing America with the energy it needs, from coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear power, renewable sources and technologies yet to be invented. ACARE supports policies that make affordable and reliable energy a reality, energy that will fuel our high standard of living, protect a clean environment and serve as bridge to the future.