H. C. R. No. 49 As Introduced

As Introduced

129th General Assembly

Regular Session

2011-2012

H. C. R. No. 49

Representative Thompson

Cosponsors: Representatives Boose, Wachtmann, Stebelton

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

To urge the Congress of the United States to adopt 1
S.J. Resolution 37, which disapproves the United 2
States Environmental Protection Agency's Mercury 3
and Air Toxics Standards Rule. 4

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF OHIO
(THE SENATE CONCURRING):

       WHEREAS, On February 16, 2012, the United States 5
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) promulgated its Mercury 6
and Air Toxics Standards Final Rule for coal and oil fueled 7
electric generating plants. USEPA's own analysis shows that it is 8
the single most expensive rule imposed by USEPA on the electric 9
power generation industrial sector at a cost of $9.6 billion per 10
year by 2016 and a total cost of $90 billion; and 11

       WHEREAS, Billions of dollars in compliance and other costs 12
resulting from the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Rule will be 13
transferred to residential, commercial, and industrial electricity 14
consumers. Those costs will result, in part, from the need to 15
construct new power plants to replace existing power plants forced 16
to discontinue operations prematurely due to the imposition of the 17
rule; and 18

       WHEREAS, The unprecedented costs associated with the Mercury 19
and Air Toxics Standards Rule will increase the price of 20
electricity and other forms of energy at a time when families and 21
businesses are struggling to cope with already high energy costs 22
and job losses. Data from the federal government show that the 23
average family in Ohio has doubled its spending on energy over the 24
past decade and that lower-income, fixed-income, and minority 25
families are disproportionately harmed by higher energy prices; 26
and 27

       WHEREAS, The manufacturing sector has lost 5.5 million jobs 28
since 2000, or 32% of its work force. Further, the manufacturing 29
sector's global competitiveness depends on affordable and reliable 30
energy. USEPA has not provided an estimate of job losses that will 31
result from the imposition of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards 32
Rule. However, many analyses project that the rule will cause a 33
further erosion of manufacturing jobs in the United States; and 34

       WHEREAS, Owners of coal-fueled power plants have already 35
invested nearly $100 billion to meet clean air requirements, and 36
those investments have reduced emissions of major air pollutants 37
by nearly 90% per kilowatt-hour of electricity generated. 38
Therefore, any new regulatory requirements to improve air quality 39
should be implemented within a sensible time frame and at a 40
reasonable cost; and 41

       WHEREAS, Federal, state, and regional officials, public 42
utility commissioners, regional electric reliability 43
organizations, electricity generators, and manufacturing companies 44
have expressed concerns that the USEPA's regulations threaten the 45
reliability of the nation's electric power grid; and 46

       WHEREAS, At the present time, the highest priority of 47
federal, state, and local governments should be to support 48
policies that stimulate growth and create jobs and to avoid 49
policies that unnecessarily increase energy prices, hurt families, 50
and cause job losses; now therefore be it 51

       RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 129th General Assembly, 52
in adopting this resolution, strongly urge the Congress of the 53
United States to adopt S.J. Resolution 37, which disapproves the 54
Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Rule and ensures that USEPA 55
replaces it with sensible regulations that achieve reductions in 56
mercury emissions without unnecessary increases in energy prices, 57
job losses, and threats to the reliability of the nation's 58
electric power grid; and be it further 59

       RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives 60
transmit duly authenticated copies of this resolution to the 61
Administrator of the USEPA, the Speaker and Clerk of the United 62
States House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore and 63
Secretary of the United States Senate, the members of the Ohio 64
Congressional delegation, and the news media of Ohio. 65

WHEREAS, On February 16, 2012, the United States	5
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) promulgated its Mercury	6
and Air Toxics Standards Final Rule for coal and oil fueled	7
electric generating plants. USEPA's own analysis shows that it is	8
the single most expensive rule imposed by USEPA on the electric	9
power generation industrial sector at a cost of $9.6 billion per	10
year by 2016 and a total cost of $90 billion; and	11

WHEREAS, Billions of dollars in compliance and other costs	12
resulting from the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Rule will be	13
transferred to residential, commercial, and industrial electricity	14
consumers. Those costs will result, in part, from the need to	15
construct new power plants to replace existing power plants forced	16
to discontinue operations prematurely due to the imposition of the	17
rule; and	18

WHEREAS, The unprecedented costs associated with the Mercury	19
and Air Toxics Standards Rule will increase the price of	20
electricity and other forms of energy at a time when families and	21
businesses are struggling to cope with already high energy costs	22
and job losses. Data from the federal government show that the	23
average family in Ohio has doubled its spending on energy over the	24
past decade and that lower-income, fixed-income, and minority	25
families are disproportionately harmed by higher energy prices;	26
and	27

WHEREAS, The manufacturing sector has lost 5.5 million jobs	28
since 2000, or 32% of its work force. Further, the manufacturing	29
sector's global competitiveness depends on affordable and reliable	30
energy. USEPA has not provided an estimate of job losses that will	31
result from the imposition of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards	32
Rule. However, many analyses project that the rule will cause a	33
further erosion of manufacturing jobs in the United States; and	34

WHEREAS, Owners of coal-fueled power plants have already	35
invested nearly $100 billion to meet clean air requirements, and	36
those investments have reduced emissions of major air pollutants	37
by nearly 90% per kilowatt-hour of electricity generated.	38
Therefore, any new regulatory requirements to improve air quality	39
should be implemented within a sensible time frame and at a	40
reasonable cost; and	41

WHEREAS, Federal, state, and regional officials, public	42
utility commissioners, regional electric reliability	43
organizations, electricity generators, and manufacturing companies	44
have expressed concerns that the USEPA's regulations threaten the	45
reliability of the nation's electric power grid; and	46

WHEREAS, At the present time, the highest priority of	47
federal, state, and local governments should be to support	48
policies that stimulate growth and create jobs and to avoid	49
policies that unnecessarily increase energy prices, hurt families,	50
and cause job losses; now therefore be it	51

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 129th General Assembly,	52
in adopting this resolution, strongly urge the Congress of the	53
United States to adopt S.J. Resolution 37, which disapproves the	54
Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Rule and ensures that USEPA	55
replaces it with sensible regulations that achieve reductions in	56
mercury emissions without unnecessary increases in energy prices,	57
job losses, and threats to the reliability of the nation's	58
electric power grid; and be it further	59

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives	60
transmit duly authenticated copies of this resolution to the	61
Administrator of the USEPA, the Speaker and Clerk of the United	62
States House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore and	63
Secretary of the United States Senate, the members of the Ohio	64
Congressional delegation, and the news media of Ohio.	65