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ACCE Senior V.P. Evan Tracey on what the court ruling against an EPA emissions regulation means for the future of the coal industry.
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Energy news meanwhile a massive -- for the Obama administration's war on coal.
A federal appeals court has sided with the coal industry -- -- issued a strong rebuke to the EPA.
The court said the EPA overstepped its authority by going around congress and trying to impose its own roles.
I -- Evan Tracey from the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity -- a big victory at what a big victory this is for the coal.
Industry.
-- -- yes it is a it's a victory.
However you know it's a small victory when you look at the total body of work that the EPA has undertaken.
In current and and future regulations that are really making it very hard.
For -- to be used as a fuel to generate electricity in this country so certainly this -- the courts gave yesterday it was a positive.
But there's still a lot more rules -- make it harder I.
Part of the industry as we talk you and I discussed on the show.
Scores of coal fired power plants are scheduled to close because -- EPA rules.
Is that -- if this ruling getting give those power plant any kind of extra life.
Eight it may hit it may help of view but but the reality is that you're looking -- almost at least 10% of the generating capacity.
For electricity in this country coming off line here in the in the near term because of EPA regulations and that.
-- about your household but I know and our household are using more electricity not less of this this is really a big hit to both what consumers are gonna pay for electricity.
But also the reliability of our electricity.
-- she can help me understand part of this ruling because it talks about.
Regulations.
That require states to be responsible.
For the quality of -- that isn't even.
From their state that actually comes down -- how does that work.
Well right I mean what.
What happened here is the EPA decided to do the the assignment that they wanted to do is oppose this -- they were supposed to do.
And what the courts have said here is that they overstepped their boundaries.
That this regulation was was not it was not at all what they were asked to do under the Clean Air Act and they they basically said.
You know go back to the drawing board on this -- that this is a a pretty serious ruling for the courts to give a federal agency and then this is not the first one that that the courts have ruled -- Well here's what they had to say that that is they did the Court of Appeals.
Quote EPA has used the good neighbor -- provision to impose massive emissions reduction requirements on -- -- states.
Without regard to the limits imposed by the Clean Air Act.
How do you interpret that.
Well again what what the courts went out -- -- -- is pure and simple for your viewers as they they overstep their boundaries here that they they took a you know they they took 88 certain -- on this regulation.
That was not at all the intention obviously and it's did it varies state by state this is a states issue.
And this is where the EPA is really sort overstepped their their charter on this one.
How do you read this I mean because the EPA operates at the behest of the president it's part of the administration the president has made clear his his taste for the coal industry.
How do you read -- is this I turn around on Obama himself and and will -- industry survived.
Well look coal is is the most dominant fuel for electricity generation now and it will be in the future what what this administration has done -- its various in 2008 President Obama candidate Obama.
Really try to be the clean coal candidate I think little did we know what he was trying to do is -- coal generation out of existence.
But the fact of the matter is looked at the world economy is moving towards call economies like Germany and China in the name -- if you are using more.
The United States who has more coal than any other country in the world where there is Saudi Arabia color of the Saudi Arabia -- -- and this administration continues to put forth policies.
The make it harder and harder to use our own resources and again also resource.
-- -- pushing back against this set ago Vickie Patton at the Environmental Defense Fund had this to say.
The court's decision significantly -- -- long overdue clean air safeguards for millions of Americans.
They calculate that many Americans it over time.
Will become less healthy maybe lose their lives because of these kinds of changes in the -- which your response.
Well look what what's missed in all of this is that the air continues to get cleaner emissions reductions are down nearly 90% over the last thirty years.
A hundred billion dollars has been spent on clean coal technology another hundred billion will be spent by 2015.
And look we have to have a rational and reasonable -- that conversation in this country about how we maintain a balance between.
Low cost electricity which is extremely important to the success of this country.
And an -- and an increasingly improving environment we can do that with clean coal technology.
But if this administration continues down this path with their EPA.
It's gonna make it harder harder for -- -- legitimate long term future in this country.
Where we continue to keep it part of our -- fuel mix the EPA it's gonna appeal this court's decision what do you plan to -- of well look at you know it is this is the states that brought this decision.
I hope that the EPA will sort of sit back and look at this and come with balanced approaches to the table.
But ultimately -- this is coming down to what people want and what they decided in November as far as the -- that they wanna go so we hope that.
That both President Obama and and candidate Romney will take a good hard look at how we keep coal in the mix.
In this country for years and you they have -- very different area where.
In the Romney campaign on call that's for sure Evan thanks for helping us that's -- it's always a pleasure to see you.
It was great to be with -- thanks.
