Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) said Monday that he would soon propose legislation aimed at stopping the Obama administration from capping carbon emissions at power plants, a move he said would destroy the coal industry in his home state.
"We will introduce bipartisan legislation that will prevent these disastrous new rules from wreaking havoc on our economy in West Virginia," Rahall said. "There is a right way and a wrong way of doing things, and the Obama administration has got it wrong once again."
U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) says he'll propose a bill to stop the EPA's new rule on power plant emissions. (AP Photo/Michael Shroyer)
"This new regulation threatens our economy and does so with an apparent disregard for the livelihoods of our coal miners and thousands of families throughout West Virginia."
The Obama administration's Environmental Protection Agency announced a new rule on Monday that looks to cut carbon emissions at power plants by 30 percent in 2030, compared to 2005 levels. The move drew immediate criticism from Republicans, including House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), who call it "nuts" given its expected impact on the price of electricity.
The top Republican in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, said the regulatory proposal is a "dagger" to struggling families, and has said he will also propose a bill to stop the regulation from hurting coal production in his home state of Kentucky.
Rahall said he was working with Rep. David McKinley (R-W.Va.) on a bill to stop the regulation, which is due to take effect in June 2015. He said the bill would eliminate the part of the rule that affects existing power plants, and also the part affecting future power plants.
According to Rahall's office, the bill would also "block the issuance of similar rules for at least the next 5 years without congressional approval."
