Political Quotes

“let me read a letter from Consumers Power Co. This is a major energy supplier in my home State of Michigan. This is dated January 11: The Unfunded Mandate Reform Act of 1995 is intended to relieve State and local governments of unfunded Federal mandates. While we support the intent of the bill, Consumers Power Company has some concerns over the impact the bill would have on investor owned electric utilities and its customers. We believe it will have the effect of placing certain private companies at a competitive disadvantage with local governments when they provide identical services. Consider, for example, that the private sector would be required to comply with Federal environmental mandates at costs creating intolerable competitive disadvantages, while the public sector would be excused from compliance because funding is not provided by the Federal Government. Compliance with Clean Air Act Amendments of 2001, should they pass, would be such a case. Should municipal utilities be exempt from NOx reduction requirements because the Federal Government does not pay for implementation?”