Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy EPA says “frankly, never had a better relationship” with state governments and departments, according to The Hill.
Those comments come just a day before the agencies Clean Power Plan hits the Federal Register on Friday.
While the EPA Administrator claims state relationships have never been better, more than a dozen states have already promised lawsuits against the Clean Power Plan, not to mention the numerous lawsuits roughly 30 states filed against the Clean Water Rule, or the ‘Waters of The U.S.’ rule, which is under a nationwide ‘stay’ of enforcement.
Several Republican governors are considering not complying with the Clean Power Plan, which requires that states cut their power sector carbon emissions.
McCarthy claimed “we’re not asking for anything to be done in the Clean Power Plan that hasn’t been fully demonstrated by states for decades.”
However, in a 2014 study, the National Economic Research Associates projected that the costs to comply with EPA’s proposed plan could $366 billion.
NERA also projected the plan could cost consumers and businesses a staggering $41 billion or more per year, with 43 states expected to see double-digit electricity price increases.
