NEWS RELEASE – EPA Playing Politics with Energy Future
EPA Playing Politics with Energy Future
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Brian Kalk, North Dakota Public Service Commissioner, said the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to declare carbon dioxide a pollutant and a danger to humans, is an example of questionable science and crass politics, of the worst kind.
“The EPA promulgated this ruling, in an attempt to provide a platform for the President when he addresses the Copenhagen Climate meeting this week. Their intent is clear. Since the Australian Parliament voted down a Cap and Trade bill that would have destroyed their coal industry, and since the Indian Government stated they would not sign any binding agreement to curb emissions or greenhouse gases, the Administration is desperate to be able to give the President a so-called ‘victory’ at the conference.”
Virginia Democratic Senator Jim Webb wrote the President to warn against attempting to bypass the Senate by agreeing to conditions unacceptable to Congress and the American people. And he warned that the Supreme Court decision, used by the EPA to justify this action, is not a sound basis for such a broad and dangerous ruling.
“Senator Webb’s warning to the President is important. He knows this ruling has the potential to wreck havoc on our economy. The short term impact of the EPA decision, at Copenhagen, is bad enough, but this decision, if implemented in its entirety, will destroy our entire energy economy, especially in North Dakota. “
Commissioner Kalk said that using Copenhagen as a backdoor to enact much of the Administration’s flawed Cap and Trade legislation, is an insult to the Senate and to the American people. It is, also, a way to force American taxpayers to pay for so-called environmental progress for nations around the world.
“This EPA ruling threatens our entire energy future. It will choke off development and kill economic growth. If put into play, it will wipe out the coal industry, shackle the oil and gas industry, and drive the cost of production for farmers and other producers so high as to force them out of business. It is time for North Dakota’s Senators to stand up for our energy future and bring this out of control federal agency under control. They should block this disastrous action. They have blocked federal agencies from enacting policies they felt were bad for North Dakota. It is time to stand up to the President and the Administration, as Senator Webb has done, and protect our workers and businesses.”