WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy Balderson’s (OH-12) Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan 2.0 advanced through the full Energy and Commerce Committee today.
The Clean Power Plan 2.0, finalized on May 9, 2024, imposes impossible-to-meet emissions requirements on existing coal-fired and newly constructed natural gas-fired power plants. If left in place, this rule will lead to the premature retirement of key power plants critical to America’s baseload power supply.
“The single greatest threat to our electric grid’s reliability is bad public policy,” said Balderson. “The Biden-Harris Clean Power Plan 2.0 is a perfect example of that. If left in place, the rule will devastate the long-term reliability of our electric grid and destroy good-paying jobs in Ohio and across the nation. I’m grateful to my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for standing with me to reverse this reckless policy and protect our energy future.”
Balderson introduced this resolution in response to the EPA's finalization of the Clean Power Plan 2.0 in May. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) simultaneously introduced a companion resolution in the Senate.
As electricity demand continues to surge at unprecedented levels, grid operators warn that baseload power generation may struggle to keep pace in the coming years. For example, central Ohio is projected to double its electricity demand between 2018 and 2028. This resolution of disapproval aims to safeguard the electric grid from falling short and not meeting the American demand for power.
The resolution has 157 co-sponsors and is supported by key groups across Ohio and the United States: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), American Petroleum Institute (API), National Mining Association (NMA), US Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), American Electric Power (AEP), Duke Energy, American Chemistry Council (ACC), American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA), Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES), PBF Energy, America’s Power, Buckeye Power, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, Ohio Manufacturers' Association, Ohio Oil & Gas Association, Ohio Independent Power Producers, West Virginia Manufacturers Association, Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia (GOWV), West Virginia Coal Association, Heritage Action, Conservative Political Action Coalition, Americans for Prosperity, American Energy Institute, American Consumer Institute, Americans for Tax Reform, ALEC Action, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, and Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, Western Energy Alliance, Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), Industrial Energy Consumers of America (IECA), Institute for Energy Research, Power the Future, American Coal Council, Energy Policy Network, Reliable Energy Inc., Women’s Mining Coalition, Pennsylvania Coal Alliance, Montana Coal Council, Texas Mining Association, Utah Mining Association, Kentucky Coal Association, Illinois Coal Association, Wyoming Mining Association, Rocky Mountain Mining Institute, West Virginia Public Service Commission, and the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission.
Balderson’s full remarks before the Energy and Commerce Committee can be found HERE. Full text of the resolution can be found HERE.
