Reaction to President Barack Obama’s new rules regarding coal emissions is drawing mixed reaction from Hoosiers policy makers, most of it negative.

The plan calls for a 32 percent cut in emissions by 2030.  The President says the emissions cut will curb greenhouse gases and spark growth in new technology, however opponents say it will drive up energy costs and not have much impact on climate change.

Here is the reaction…

U.S. Senator Dan Coats

  • “President Obama’s actions circumvent Congress and will completely restructure Indiana’s electricity sector by executive fiat. These finalized rules will substantially raise electricity rates for Hoosier families, jeopardize grid reliability and cost jobs, all while yielding potentially negligible global carbon dioxide reductions. These rules will force irrevocable and costly compliance actions by Indiana’s energy companies before the courts can determine the legality of the rules.  In addition to legal questions, the EPA’s announcement ignores the progress the utility industry has made in recent years. Energy providers in Indiana and across the country have spent tens of billions in capital investment for air pollution controls resulting in significant declines in emissions. These rules impose additional cumbersome regulations that fail to fully appreciate the industries current progress as much as they ignore the costs that will be impose.  By trumpeting these regulations, the president is putting his legacy before the well-being of Hoosiers and Indiana’s economy. Congress should act swiftly to overturn these rules and focus on pursuing pragmatic solutions to steward energy resources and grow the economy.”

Jesse Kharbonda, Hoosier Environmental Council

  • “The Clean Power Plan sends a clear, strong signal to companies that want to build, invest, and install energy-saving equipment, solar, and wind, that our country is moving in a low-carbon direction and that there is a big market for their low-carbon products.   Indiana should embrace, not resist, this Plan, because it has more to gain than most states — we’re second in the nation in potential clean energy jobs per person!   And while opponents of the Clean Power Plan describe the plan as being really burdensome and costly for Indiana, the irony is that Indiana would have easily met its 2020 goals under the plan had Indiana’s legislature and Governor’s office not gutted the Energizing Indiana program last year.”

Governor Mike Pence

  • “When it comes to energy policy, this Administration continues to place its environmental agenda ahead of the interests of Hoosier ratepayers, jobs and the economy. Here in Indiana, homeowners and businesses rely on coal-burning power plants for low-cost, reliable energy. Yet little to no consideration was given to states like ours throughout the development of the EPA’s final rule and that is simply not acceptable.  Throughout this process, Indiana has called time and again for these ill-conceived rules to be withdrawn, and I informed the Administration that unless the final rule was demonstrably and significantly improved, Indiana would not comply. In the days ahead, my Administration will carefully review the final rule to determine if the Obama Administration was listening.  If the final rule is not significantly improved, then Hoosiers can be assured that on behalf of families, businesses and other ratepayers, Indiana will not comply.  Indiana will also continue to vigorously challenge the legality of this rule in the federal courts. Far too much is at stake for jobs and the economy in Indiana for us to do anything less.”

Barbara Quandt, National Federation of Independent Businesses

  • “Indiana businesses will be hit particularly hard by this new rule.  Energy is necessary to provide every service and manufacture every product.  The Hoosier state relies heavily on coal and will be disproportionally impacted by higher electricity prices. These costs will have to be passed on to consumers, leaving us all with higher prices across the board.  We’ll be more heavily reliant on forms of energy that aren’t reliable,” said Quandt.  The sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow.  To the extent that we’re dependent on those forms of energy we’re creating our own supply shortages.  Small businesses need affordable, dependable electricity to serve their customers and this regulation undermines both.”

Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller says his office is joining 15 other states to block the implementation of the new rules.