Press Releases

Today, Monday, May 12, 2014 Congressman Jason Smith expressed his opposition to newly proposed air quality standards from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agency is proposing new “Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units” that would include Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology. The CCS technology is not yet commercially available making the proposed air quality standards unachievable.  Smith says the proposed changes would place a de-facto ban on all new coal-fired power plants while raising utility rates for families and businesses in Missouri and across the country.

“The EPA is once again declaring war on rural American with these new regulations. The carbon capture technology the EPA wants to mandate is not even commercially viable. If these proposed regulations go into effect, utility rates will sky rocket for families in Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District,” said Smith. “These regulations would halt all construction on new coal-fired power plants. Over 80 percent of families in my district rely on coal to power their homes, businesses, schools and farms. Bureaucrats at the EPA do not understand or appreciate our rural way of life here in Missouri. I plan to fight these regulations that would raise utility rates on folks who are struggling to makes ends meet.”

In an letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Smith questioned the viability of the Carbon Capture and Storage technology required in the proposed, “Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units” regulations.

“With industry insiders involved in the development of CCS technology openly declaring that it is not ready to be commercially deployed, and the Third National Climate Assessment declaring that it is “difficult to forecast success” for the technology, it strains the limits of reason for you to determine that carbon capture and sequestration technology has been “adequately demonstrated.” Before you finalize rules that would impose a regressive energy tax through regulations that amount to a de-facto ban on coal power plants, I would urge you to note that carbon capture and sequestration technology is neither “achievable” nor “adequately demonstrated” as required by Congress in the Clean Air Act.”

Click HERE to read Smith’s full letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.

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