Cornyn Joins Amicus Brief Urging Court to Block EPA's Power Plant Regulations

Statement

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) joined 33 fellow Senators and 171 U.S. Representatives in an amicus brief today seeking to overturn the EPA's so-called "Clean Power Plan' in the case of State of West Virginia, et al. v. Environmental Protection Agency, et al. A copy of the brief can be found here.

"The Final Rule goes well beyond the clear statutory directive by, among other things, requiring States to submit, for approval, state or regional energy plans to meet EPA's predetermined CO2 mandates for their electricity sector. In reality, if Congress desired to give EPA sweeping authority to transform the nation's electricity sector, Congress would have provided for that unprecedented power in detailed legislation," wrote Sen. Cornyn and the Members.

"Nor has Congress authorized EPA to make the policy choices that are reflected in the Final Rule--a rule that imposes enormous costs on States and the public without achieving meaningful climate benefits. Because of the Final Rule, States will face unprecedented new regulatory burdens, electricity ratepayers will be subject to billions of dollars in compliance costs, and American workers and their families will experience the hardship of job losses due to power plant shutdowns, higher electricity prices, and overall diminishment of the nation's global economic competitiveness," Sen. Cornyn and the Members continued.

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