Political Quotes

“I rise to speak out against the EPA's mercury and air toxics standards--known as Utility MACT--and in support of the resolution disapproving this rule introduced by my colleague from Oklahoma, Senator Inhofe. This set of standards--one of the most expensive of its kind ever issued by EPA--will cause a rise in electric bills for my constituents in Georgia and for Americans all across this country. As our economy continues to stagnate, we can hardly afford to increase the cost of electricity, which will be an economic burden for individuals and businesses and will hamper economic recovery. Higher electric bills are especially unwarranted when the regulations that will cause the electricity cost increase are expected to provide negligible benefits for the American public. The poor and individuals on fixed incomes, such as the elderly, can hardly afford higher electricity bills. These are precisely the groups disproportionately affected by Utility MACT. EPA estimates that compliance with this rule will cost $9.6 billion annually in 2015, which is more conservative than many industry figures. One electric company in my home State estimates that by 2014 Utility MACT could cost them up to $250 million annually to implement. This does not take into account the hundreds of millions of additional dollars the company expects to spend on complying with existing environmental statutes and regulations.…”