Daines Introduces Legislation to Protect Montana Jobs and Affordable Energy Prices

Press Release

Representative Steve Daines introduced the Coal Jobs and Affordable Energy Protection Act (H.R. 4850) today to halt the Obama administration's attempt to unilaterally impose new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations on Montana's coal industry.

Last week, the EPA announced that they would seek to impose costly new regulations to cut power plant emissions by 30 percent by 2030, which would diminish coal's role in energy production, force higher energy costs upon American families and cost good-paying Montana jobs.

"Montanans rely on coal to provide good, high-paying jobs, deliver affordable electricity to our families and to fund our schools, libraries and parks. President Obama's war on coal is a war on Montana's economy, workers and families," Daines said. "This common sense bill protects Montanans from job losses and increased energy prices that would result from the EPA's job-killing regulations. I will keep fighting against regulations that squeeze the middle class and make life more difficult for Montana families who depend on coal and all that it provides for our state."

Daines' bill, a companion to the Senate's Coal Country Protection Act, would prevent the EPA's proposed regulations from taking effect until simple but important benchmarks are met:

The Department of Labor certifies that the regulations would not cost jobs.

The Congressional Budget certifies that the regulations would not result in any loss in the gross domestic product.

The Energy Information Administration certifies that the regulations would not increase electricity rates.

The Federal American Electric Reliability Corporation certifies that electricity deliver would remain reliable.

According to the AFL-CIO-affiliated United Mine Workers of America, the EPA rules "will lead to long-term and irreversible job losses for thousands of coal miners, electrical workers, utility workers, boilermakers, railroad workers and others without achieving any significant reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions."

Daines, a member of the House Natural Resources Committee and Congressional Coal Caucus, has been standing with Montana families at the forefront in the fight against the Obama administration's war on coal.

Daines is a co-sponsor of H.R. 3826, the Electricity Security and Affordability Act, which would provide that Congress, not the EPA, set the effective date for any carbon dioxide regulations developed by the EPA. It passed the House earlier this year.

He also helped to pass H.R. 2824, the Preventing Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in America Act, which would save American jobs and taxpayer dollars by preventing the Obama Administration from continuing a wasteful process to develop new job-destroying coal regulations.

Key Facts on Montana Energy:

Montana's coal industry contributes to nearly 5,000 Montana jobs

Montana contains more coal reserves than any other state and ranks number six overall in coal production nationwide

Montana gets more than half its power from coal, keeping electricity prices low. The average retail price in Montana is currently 8.42 cents per kilowatt hour, among the lowest in the nation.

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