Barbour wants EPA plan stopped

JACKSON — Gov. Haley Barbour has joined a bipartisan group of governors in asking Congress to stop a plan giving the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the authority to regulate greenhouse gases, a move that would potentially harm the competitiveness of the nation’s economy, he said.

In a letter to Congressional leaders, 20 governors expressed concern over an administrative agency implementing regulations that would have a broad, negative impact on industry and jobs without input from elected officials.

“EPA’s proposal will only result in energy costing more and Americans having fewer energy options,” Barbour said. “We should be trying to create more affordable American energy and avoid actions that will increase the cost of electricity, gasoline and other goods for families and businesses. The EPA’s proposal is bad for the U.S. economy and should be stopped.”

Bipartisan support exists to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; however, heavy-handed regulation will increase the cost of electricity and gasoline prices and manufactured products at a time when state economies are struggling.

“We believe that EPA should offer input regarding complex energy and environmental policy initiatives, like reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but feel that these policies are best developed by elected representatives at the state and national level, not by a single federal agency,” the letter stated.