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Washington, DC– Congressman Brett Guthrie today responded to President Obama’s announcement that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued new proposed regulations for existing power plants. The announcement comes just days after a report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21^st Century Energy detailed the hefty consequences that would follow implementation of these proposed regulations.

“The EPA under this Administration is out of touch with American families,” said Congressman Guthrie. “With jobs and the economy remaining the top concerns on the minds of Americans, issuing new burdensome regulations that will cost jobs due to billions of dollars in compliance costs – not to mention raising home and business energy costs significantly – is the last thing we need.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21^st Energy report dated May 28, 2014, anticipates that regulating carbon emissions from existing power plans will cost the U.S. economy approximately $51 billion each year, cut 224,000 jobs and raise electricity costs by $289 billion over the next two decades.

In the East South Central region, which includes Kentucky, the Chamber estimates a decrease in GDP of $2.2 billion and a loss of 21,400 jobs.

“Power plant emissions in this country are lower than they’ve ever been – 20 percent lower than they were in the 1970s. Touted as the answer to climate change, these new proposed rules will only reduce overall emissions by less than two percent and have the potential to cripple Kentucky’s economy,” added Congressman Guthrie.

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