House Republicans, and some Dems, press White House to kill climate rules

More than 200 House Republicans and about a dozen conservative Democrats called on the White House Thursday to kill pending climate regulations, arguing they will impose huge costs on consumers.

“Affordable, reliable electricity is critical to keeping growing jobs in the United States and such a standard will likely drive up energy prices and threaten domestic jobs,” the 223 lawmakers, including 14 Democrats, wrote in a letter to White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) acting director Jeffrey Zients.

The letter marks the latest affront on the Environmental Protection Agency’s pending rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions from new and modified power plants that burn fossil fuels. Republicans and some centrist Democrats in the House and Senate have been working for months to scuttle the regulations.

But EPA and other backers of the rules say they will offer huge public health benefits and help to tackle climate change at a minimal cost.

The rules, which EPA is issuing under a settlement with environmentalists and several states, have been delayed repeatedly.

“Our timeline has been for the end of January. We think we are close to that timeline," Gina McCarthy, EPA’s top air quality official, said Jan. 19.

EPA spokesman Brendan Gilfillan said Thursday that “EPA is on track to propose [greenhouse gas] standards for new power plants early this year."

“We continue to work with OMB through the interagency review process and will issue the proposal when that review is complete."

OMB’s website shows that power industry officials have held a suite of meetings with OMB staff in February. Environmentalists backing the rules have also met with the office this month.

Coal-fired power plants are a huge source of greenhouse gas emissions, which the vast majority of the world's scientists blame for climate change.