A Dirty Little Secret

I wonder what government environmental agents would say about a single source of pollution like this that occurred roughly every six months:

• 23 tons of harmful particulate matter get scattered around an area a quarter mile in diameter

• 13 tons of hydrochloric acid killed fish and plants within a half-mile radius

• 28 tons of carbon dioxide are pumped into the air at each occurrence and over 900 times that amount is given off by all the supporting facilities every month

Well, each time NASA launched the space shuttle, this is what happened.  In its hunt for carbon dioxide and other pollutants, the Environmental Protection Agency should probably send their armed agents to NASA.  (Note that we stopped launching Space Shuttles, but nevertheless...)

Environmental Pestering Agency

Imagine buying a plot of land with the hopes of building your dream home.   After obtaining all the local permits, you begin construction.  Now imagine getting a compliance order in the mail from the EPA telling you that your land was just deemed a “wetland” and you must return it to its original state or face fines of $37,500 per day.  This, of course, comes as a big surprise, because your land is not wet.  Think that’s bad (and it is)?  Now imagine not being able to sue the EPA over its decision until it issues an enforcement order, at which point it can collect on the accruing fines.  Sound completely insane?  Welcome to the Sackett’s world.

Read about here and here.

The case is headed for the US Supreme Court.  At issue is whether or not ordinary property owners can have their day in court before the EPA issues its enforcement order.  All the lower courts have ruled in favor of the EPA, but apparently enough Justices thought this needed a second look.  Let’s hope they rule in favor of property owners.

Letter to Texas' Senators

I am extremely worried (outraged!) about the EPA’s new Cross-State rules (CSAPR).  These new rules, hastily arranged and issued this past July, seek to reduce certain amounts of airborne pollutants emanating from coal burning power plants.  The EPA claims these rules will both save lives and reduce healthcare costs – both of which are counterfactual and can never be proven.  What can be proven, however, are the economic costs these rules will impose on industry and consumers.

Already, power company Luminant has warned it cannot meet the unreasonable deadline of January 2012 and will have to shutter plants in order to comply.  As you know, Texas experienced a cold winter this year, which lead to rolling black outs for residents of San Antonio.  This summer has also proven taxing to the electric grid, with Texans barely avoiding another rolling black out due to record high demand.  If power plants are mothballed to comply with EPA’s new rule, Texans can expect more frequent disruptions in the future.

This new pie-in-the-sky rule promulgated by unelected bureaucrats affects 27 states and threatens millions of American’s access to reliable electricity.  It is shameful that Congress has allowed this run-away agency to saddle hard working Americans with higher energy bills, reduced employment, and unreliable energy, all while doing little to improve air quality.  It is high time Congress rein in these alphabet soup federal agencies and their merry band of regulators who seek to destroy our economy under the guise of “protecting Americans.”

 

The Senate wisely failed to adopt “cap and trade,” and this new rule is nothing more than President Obama’s war on coal.  Of course, we shouldn’t be too surprised, as Obama is simply living up to a campaign promise to lay waste to our national coal industry.  Nearly one-half of Americans get electricity from coal, and Obama’s EPA will significantly increase energy costs for just about all of them.  This is unconscionable, and it’s time for Congress to act. 

 

I want to know what action you plan to take to ensure all Texans have access to reliable and affordable energy.

Sincerely,

Brad Dunnagan

Regulations that actually save money, or so says the EPA.

Black is white.  The earth is flat, and monkeys really can fly.  Stimulus creates wealth, and government can issue regulations that actually save the country money.  Hi, and welcome to the bizarro world. 

Last week, the EPA finalized a new rule to “help states reduce air pollution.”  I would personally like to ask those states if they consider the EPA a respected business partner or a lying, cheating hooligan.  I digress.  Companies have until January 1 to comply.  Can a major coal plant retro fit its equipment to comply with this new rule in less than six months?  Doubtful.

This new rule mandates that power companies reduce air pollution that contributes to particulates and ground level ozone.  The EPA swears that tens of thousands of lives will be spared, saving us billions in avoided healthcare costs.  It also promises that any increase in electric rates will be minimal, and this action will not interrupt the flow of electricity to power-hungry cities.  Well, proving that deaths were avoided is impossible to measure, but we can certainly capture the increase in rates and the reduction in generated power.

Luminant, run by EF Holding Company, operates 12 coal fired power plants in Texas.  They announced plans to “materially reduce power generation” at some plants and “mothball” others to comply with the new rule. A company spokesman said six months weren’t enough time to comply.  Most reasonable people know six months isn’t enough time – just as unreasonable regulators at the EPA know it’s not enough time.  With already tight supplies, this additional reduction in supply could lead to shortages and significant price increases.

America gets half its power from coal, and there are over 500 coal plants that may need retro fitting to comply.  These costs will be passed on to consumers, acting as a tax and reducing our wealth.  Power companies in KY have said consumers can expect average increases of 20% in electric rates for the next five years.  KY gets 90% of its power from coal.  Upset? Don’t be.

Remember, this is the bizzaro world.  The EPA said everything would be fine.  These rules will save you money – there are no costs, only benefits.  Hey, I just saw a monkey fly by my house!