Sen. Lee Fights to Repeal Costly and Useless NOX Rule
March 14, 2017
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) introduced a resolution pursuant to the Congressional Review Act Tuesday that will repeal a costly and ineffective Environmental Protection Agency regulation targeting the Huntington and Hunter power plants in Utah. The resolution of disapproval was introduced by the entire Utah Delegation.
“The great state of Utah already has proposed a perfectly safe and effective nitrogen oxide regulation regime,” Sen. Lee said. “The EPA’s costly new regulations would add hundreds of millions to the power bills of working families and all for an imperceptible change in visibility.”
Utah submitted a nitrogen oxide state implementation plan compliant with the Clean Air Act but it was rejected by the EPA last year. Instead, the EPA is trying to implement a federal implementation plan that would require the Huntington and Hunter coal-fired power plants to install $700 million in new equipment and add $150 million to the plants operating costs. By EPA’s own estimates, implementation of the FIP will result in 5-10% rate increases.
The EPA issued its new nitrogen oxide regulation pursuant to the Regional Haze Program of the Clean Air Act, which was passed to improve visibility at certain natural areas like Arches and Canyonlands National Park.
But the regulation the EPA issued would only improve visibility by just 0.14 deciviews compared to Utah’s regulation plan. For reference, 1 deciview is the minimum change perceptible to the human eye.
“The great state of Utah already has proposed a perfectly safe and effective nitrogen oxide regulation regime,” Sen. Lee said. “The EPA’s costly new regulations would add hundreds of millions to the power bills of working families and all for an imperceptible change in visibility.”
Utah submitted a nitrogen oxide state implementation plan compliant with the Clean Air Act but it was rejected by the EPA last year. Instead, the EPA is trying to implement a federal implementation plan that would require the Huntington and Hunter coal-fired power plants to install $700 million in new equipment and add $150 million to the plants operating costs. By EPA’s own estimates, implementation of the FIP will result in 5-10% rate increases.
The EPA issued its new nitrogen oxide regulation pursuant to the Regional Haze Program of the Clean Air Act, which was passed to improve visibility at certain natural areas like Arches and Canyonlands National Park.
But the regulation the EPA issued would only improve visibility by just 0.14 deciviews compared to Utah’s regulation plan. For reference, 1 deciview is the minimum change perceptible to the human eye.
