The EPA’s so called “Good Neighbor Plan” is a not-so-neighborly way of harming Missouri and the industrial Midwest. This air pollution rule would require Missouri to make 12% of emissions reductions for the nation and no doubt, will force the premature closure of coal fired power plants.
EPA paints a “blue sky” picture of dubious health improvements while greatly underestimating the impact on electric bills with this measure. There has been pushback from the US Senate, led by Senator Lummis from Wyoming. The EPA has disapproved of State Implementation Plans (SIP) from 21 states, and Sen. Lummis questions whether EPA is cynically ordering a shift from one power source to another. The Supreme Court has ruled against such misadventure.
EPA rejected the SIP put forth by Missouri’s Public Service Commission (PSC) along with 20 other states and at least three states, Texas, Arkansas, and Utah have filed legal challenges. As proposed, the EPA’s Federal Implementation Plan (FIP), will force plant closures in Missouri, add pressure to the national grid and push us toward more unreliable power sources, such as wind and solar, while spiking electric rates for Missourians and rural cooperatives. While China is permitting the equivalent of 2 new coal burning power plants per week, an overreaching EPA is trying to force closure of dependable coal plants in the United States. I feel certain that US coal combustion emissions are and will be cleaner than Chinese coal burners.
I’m hoping that Missouri’s Attorney General Andrew Bailey will push back against this harmful, so-called “Good Neighbor Plan” and fight to protect Missourians against this attack on our electric power infrastructure.
Former State Representative and a candidate for Ozark Border Electric Cooperative Board.
