Sue Myrick: “this amendment unfairly penalizes consumers in States like North Carolina, where investor-owned utilities provide a…”

“this amendment unfairly penalizes consumers in States like North Carolina, where investor-owned utilities provide a majority of the State's power using coal-fired generation and nuclear power, and it also undermines the State's Renewable Portfolio Standards. States in the Southeast and the Midwest are dependent upon coal-fired generation and investor-owned utilities have pioneered carbon sequestration techniques which substantially reduce further CO2 emissions. Many States don't have the environmental capacity to generate significant power through solar or wind. Western States are capable of harnessing wind, solar and hydroelectric power; and they benefit from meeting this. But they also would be able to sell credits to the States in the South, Southeast and Midwest, while higher retail energy costs will adversely affect the consumers and employers in States like North Carolina. Any jobs created to meet a government-mandated RPS will be miniscule compared to the manufacturing job losses that will result from higher energy costs. If the goal of the amendment is to reduce emissions and develop domestic energy forces, why not factor in nuclear power? Nuclear power is very important. I urge my colleagues to vote against the amendment.”