November surprise: EPA planning major post-election anti-coal regulation

The Washington Examiner ^ | 11/4/12 | Conn Carroll

[markomalley]

President Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency has devoted an unprecedented number of bureaucrats to finalizing new anti-coal regulations that are set to be released at the end of November, according to a source inside the EPA.

More than 50 EPA staff are now crashing to finish greenhouse gas emission standards that would essentially ban all construction of new coal-fired power plants. Never before have so many EPA resources been devoted to a single regulation. The independent and non-partisan Manhattan Institute estimates that the EPA’s greenhouse gas coal regulation will cost the U.S. economy $700 billion.

The rush is a major sign of panic by environmentalists inside the Obama administration. If Obama wins, the EPA would have another four full years to implement their anti-fossil fuel agenda. But if Romney wins, regulators will have a very narrow window to enact a select few costly regulations that would then be very hard for a President Romney to undo.

Environmentalists at the EPA pulled this trick before in 2000 when the Clinton administration rushed out a finding that Mercury emissions from power plants were a growing public health threat pursuant to the Clean Air Act. That finding did not regulate power plants itself, but it did force the Bush administration to begin a lengthy regulatory process. The Obama EPA has estimated that this regulation alone will cost the U.S. economy $10.9 billion a year.

[Roklok]

Romney’s first order of business. Fire these dick heads.

[szweig]

They must de-fund that pig ASAP. And fire the asshats therein.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

If you eliminate competition from "fossil fuels," "green energy" becomes economically feasible.

An economic catastrophe as well, but who cares about that?

[eyeamok]

And if we actually had real Americans in congress they would ABOLISH the EPA post haste

[Gaffer]

Line them all up neath a coal conveyor belt and “scatter, smother, and cover” them with their undoing!

[Terry Mross]

Again, I ask where does a president get the power to order this? If he wins, the takeover will be damn close to complete.

And I want to tell all the liberals standing in line with gas cans, get ready to pay $50 for 5 gallons. Can’t afford it? Then freeze to death.

[Gaffer]

Firing is too lenient with these assholes...

[anoldafvet]

When Romney wins these ba$tards will have 2-1/2 months to finish ruining the economy. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

[Kevin in California]

Couldn’t a super majority undo it should it be implemented?

[Shadow44]

The Democrats really must enjoy destroying their electability in PA, OH, and WV.

[ronnie raygun]

Close down the entire EPA fire every last one of these criminals and create a new agency oil, coal and nuclear friendly.

[Churchillspirit]

Had a lady in my store last Wednesday from Oklahoma who is very active within the GOP.

She told me that The Kenyan has several EOs ready to announce on November 7th. - all concerning Environmental Protection.

Seems she is correct.

[kevao]

costly regulations that would then be very hard for a President Romney to undo.

Why would it be hard for President Romney to undo? Couldn't he just nullify the new regs with an EO? At the very least, he can refuse to enforce the law, the way Obama has done with DOMA.

[taildragger]

By killing coal they kill it for good for other uses. Look Natural Gas via Fracking and it's low price point has dramatically changed our energy mix, i.e. many Power-Plants have gone Gas because it is so cheap. Coal has gone from 44% to 39% of the Mix.

However coal to oil via the Fischer Tropsch Process can supposedly yield low sulfur Diesel "JP" fuels ideally suited for our airline fleet and our military.

This is at $25 a barrel. Now if Gas to Oil is done at an even lower pricepoint, than that is another matter that needs to be discussed.

[Shady]

This ought to put the lid on King Bozo Oilless in PA, WV and OH...that would Nail It for Mitt...

[ClearCase_guy]

I remember during the primary debates, Rick Perry boldly stated the he would end funding to three federal agencies. Then he proceeded to name two of them, and simply could not come up with the third agency which he would boldly de-fund.

Someone helpfully suggested the EPA. Rick chucked and said "EPA, right!" and then kept trying to remember the name of the third agency. After he gave up entirely, the moderator of the debate tried to clarify: "Gov. Perry, is EPA one of the agencies?" and Perry smiled and said, "No. But I'll think of the name later."

He should have had EPA is in top three.

[Doogle]

Odungo's revenge

[Eva]

Obama’s EPA has plans to make fracking much more expensive, also.

[newheart]

Use of the word surprise here is silly. This is not surprise. If Obama wins it will simple be the expected revealing of this real agenda. If he is not, it will still be a revelation of his agenda, but in a greatly accelerated pace. So many things to screw up before January 20.