Tidwell: Oklahoma Anti-EPA Bill Is A Stand For Justice
Americans For Prosperity official: Oklahoma anti-EPA bill is a stand for justice
BY JOHN TIDWELL
In a complete disregard of the overall economic impact in individual states, the Obama administration is pushing forward with a policy to regulate greenhouse gas emissions that would be detrimental to consumers and businesses. The Environmental Protection Agency has dubbed this scheme the “Clean Power Plan,” requiring a reduction to the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions by one-third by 2031. In Oklahoma, it’s estimated that energy producers will be forced to reduce their emissions 6 percent more than other states, cutting greenhouse gas emissions up to 36 percent.
But Oklahomans will lose more than just greenhouse gas emissions with the EPA’s power grab, which will greatly restrict fossil fuels that account for more than 80 percent of our state’s electricity. Oklahoma will be forced to jump to other fuel sources.
The approval of these regulations would result in a price increase at all businesses in the state. According to NERA Economic Consulting, businesses’ energy bills will jump between 14 to 22 percent over the next decade, an increase that you will see directly correlated in all of your purchases.
But we won’t just spend more at the store with these regulations. In the same study, NERA reported Oklahoma homeowners would pay 15 percent more each year on our electric bill from 2017 to 2031 — the fifth-greatest increase in the nation.