Indiana Leading Pushback Against EPA Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency is pushing ahead with regulations that will severally impact Indiana agriculture, and Governor Mike Pence is pushing back. Pence was in Washington last week delivering a strong message that Indiana is not happy with efforts by the federal government to regulate and restrict waterways, renewable fuels, and coal burning power plants. He told HAT these measures would hurt Indiana farmers, “We are battling back against what we think are excessive regulations from the EPA that are going to raise input costs.” Pence added common sense regulations are needed, “That is what is needed to continue to see grown in agriculture, and our administration will continue to fight for that.”
On June 2, 2014, the EPA announced its proposed performance standards for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants under the Clean Air Act, Section 111(d). The proposed rule requires each state to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions rate from existing coal-fired power plants to meet state-specific standards starting in 2020, with a final rate for 2030 and beyond. Pence called this a war on coal, “There is an effort in Washington to drive our nation, through increasing costs, away from coal burning power plants.” Indiana is the 2nd most reliant on coal of any state in the US for electrical power. Pence said that is why Indiana is at the forefront of this issue, “We are going to say in the forefront in behalf of farmers and all Hoosier rate payers.”
The State of Indiana has joined 11 other states in a lawsuit against the carbon dioxide regulations the EPA recently proposed. The lawsuit charges that the EPA does not have the legal authority to regulate existing sources of air pollution. “Congress has already rejected legislation that would put limits on carbon dioxide emissions,” said Pence. “A law of this significance should be passed by the legislative branch. The State of Indiana is determined to use every legal means at our disposal to prevent the EPA from overstepping its authority and costing Hoosier jobs.”