HLS 15RS-224 ENGROSSED
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 29
BY REPRESENTATIVE HARRISON
ENVIRONMENT/AIR: Urges and requests the United States Environmental Protection
Agency not to adopt the proposed guidelines on carbon dioxide emissions from
existing fossil fuel-fired electric units
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request the United States Environmental Protection Agency to withdraw the
3 proposed guidelines for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-fired
4 power plants pursuant to Section 111(d) of the federal Clean Air Act and that in the
5 event the United States Environmental Protection Agency adopts the proposed
6 guidelines, urge and request the governor and the attorney general to use every
7 means at their disposal, including taking legal action, to prevent the guidelines from
8 being implemented.
9 WHEREAS, Louisiana benefits from electricity prices that are significantly below
10the national average price of electricity; and
11 WHEREAS, Louisiana has benefitted from a diverse mix of electricity sources that
12includes natural gas, coal, nuclear, renewable resources, and others; and
13 WHEREAS, maintaining a diverse, reliable, and affordable electricity supply is vital
14to Louisiana's economic growth, jobs, and the well-being of its citizens; and
15 WHEREAS, on June 25, 2013, the President of the United States issued a
16memorandum to the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency
17(EPA) directing the EPA to develop guidelines to control greenhouse gas emissions from
18existing fossil fuel-fired power plants pursuant to Section 111(d) of the federal Clean Air Act
19and to seek input from states; and
Page 1 of 3 HLS 15RS-224 ENGROSSED
HCR NO. 29
1 WHEREAS, on June 2, 2014, the EPA issued proposed guidelines limiting carbon
2dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants in Louisiana and other states pursuant
3to Section 111(d) of the federal Clean Air Act; and
4 WHEREAS, Act No. 726 of the 2014 Regular Session requires the Department of
5Environmental Quality, in any response to the EPA guidelines promulgated pursuant to
6Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act, to develop performance standards based on measures
7that can be implemented at each fossil fuel-fired electric generating unit in the state; and
8 WHEREAS, the EPA's proposed guidelines for reducing carbon dioxide emissions
9from fossil fuel-fired power plants conflict with the statutes of the state of Louisiana; and
10 WHEREAS, the EPA's proposed guidelines are not based on measures that can be
11implemented at each fossil fuel-fired electric generating unit, but instead require significant
12changes in the manner in which electricity is produced and necessitate a significant reduction
13in the use of electricity by consumers in the state of Louisiana; and
14 WHEREAS, the EPA's proposal is based on emission reduction measures that
15directly involve the production and regulation of electricity, which is the prerogative of the
16states, not EPA; and
17 WHEREAS, the EPA does not have the legal authority to require reductions in
18carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants pursuant to Section 111(d) of the
19federal Clean Air Act, nor to require reductions in carbon dioxide emissions based on
20changes to the electric system of any state; and
21 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Public Service Commission has estimated that the EPA
22proposal would cost Louisiana ratepayers $3.96 billion to $5.7 billion; and
23 WHEREAS, an analysis conducted by National Economic Research Associates
24Economic Consulting has projected that the EPA proposal could result in average annual
25electricity price increases in Louisiana of sixteen to twenty-two percent during the period
262020 to 2029, with a peak year increase of twenty to twenty-four percent; and
27 WHEREAS, the EPA's proposal would have a major impact on the consumers of
28electricity in Louisiana, especially low-income and middle-income families, and the
29economy of the state of Louisiana; and
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HCR NO. 29
1 WHEREAS, entities responsible for reliability of the electric grid in Louisiana,
2including the Midcontinent Independent System Operator and the Southwest Power Pool,
3have stated that the EPA's proposal threatens the reliability of the electric grid.
4 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
5urge and request that the United States Environmental Protection Agency withdraw the
6proposed guidelines for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-fired power
7plants pursuant to Section 111(d) of the federal Clean Air Act.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge
9and request that, in the event the United States Environmental Protection Agency adopts the
10proposed guidelines, the governor and the attorney general use every means at their disposal,
11including taking legal action, to prevent the guidelines from being implemented.
12 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
13to the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the governor,
14and the attorney general.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 29 Engrossed 2015 Regular Session Harrison
Urges and requests the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to withdraw the
proposed guidelines for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-fired power
plants pursuant to Section 111(d) of the federal Clean Air Act.
Urges and requests that, in the event the EPA adopts the proposed guidelines, the governor
and the attorney general use every means at their disposal, including taking legal action, to
prevent the guidelines from being implemented.
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