The EPA’s Power Grab [Reader Post]

Congress is set to vote on a series of amendments aimed to limit the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to impose restrictions on carbon limits without congressional approval. The votes could come as early as next week.

Environmental groups have petitioned the FDA to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. The impact of such an action would be enormous. Such a regulatory action – which has never been approved by Congress – would raise energy price and reduce energy supplies making President Obama’s admission that such regulation would cause electricity rates to “skyrocket,” reality. A Harvard University study found the Obama greenhouse gas targets would cause gas prices to rise between $7 and $10 a barrel.

Sen. Inhofe and Sen. Manchin have drafted a bill that would specifically prohibit the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases. This is putting some liberal members who support radical environmentalists in a difficult position – especially Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV).

Rockefeller is a liberal whose constituency is built on generations of coal mining and manufacturing. He has lectured his state on the need for “change” rather than fight for their interested. He publically opposed Climate Change legislation pushed for by environmentalists but voted to allow the bill to come to the floor. He even expressed disappointment when the Congress did not address Climate Change even it would decimate jobs in his state.

He is again playing the “Charleston Two-Step.” Rather than support his fellow West Virginians effort to protect jobs in the state, Rockefeller has proposed an amendment to limit the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gases for two years – or until after his re-election campaign in 2012.

He is now paying the price. A new ad campaign is blistered Rockefeller in the state and rightly so.

America has the resources and ability to power itself. Obama would rather give loans to Brazil (and a promise to buy their oil) rather than allow American workers to get it from the Gulf of Mexico. And now rather than allowing our coal workers to bring power online, the Administration would rather fund the green boondoggle of wind and solar with taxpayer dollars.

Whether the votes in the Senate are there to end the EPA’s reign of terror on West Virginia and America’s energy producers remains to be seen. But it’s time that voters in these areas know whether their “representatives” stand especially those who hide their real views like Sen. Rockefeller.