Story Published:
Aug 7, 2011 at 9:06 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Aug 7, 2011 at 9:06 PM CDT
What is Lisa Jackson, EPA administrator , thinking? How can she not realize that lowering the ozone levels from 75 parts per billion to 60 to 70 parts per billion will have detrimental effect on American business? The business round table call it an impediment to economic expansion.
That means a loss of jobs in a time when the unemployment rate is hovering at just under 10%. The EPA can enact such rules unilaterally, what they decide carries the force of legilation and President Obama seems to revel in the fact that this agency can put capitalistic business in a vise. He is slowly and surely putting the economy in that vise and he 's tightening it up.
Yes, ozone cause problems in those who have breathing problems, but is the impact on jobs not more important? I think it is. We simply cannot afford tighter ozone rules. The question is: will the president agree to keep the Bush administration's standard of 75 parts per billion in place to minimize the already difficult standards on American business or will he allow EPA to further hamstring them?
EPA is already impacting our coal fired power plants. Earlier this month it decided to reduce emissions from coal fired plants which produce most of our "juice". 28 states have coal fired plants. TVA alone , which powers 6 states, has 11 plants with 59 generation units would be greatly affected. There is already a court order in North Carolina that orders the agency to reduce emissions in Tennessee that travel via prevailing winds.
TVA is under the gun. The new EPA regs will cause people to lose jobs. And yes, get ready for electricity rates to increase.
