Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson is set to finalize a crucial new clean air rule to limit mercury pollution. Meanwhile opponents of clean energy are tripping over themselves to have the most outlandish (and erroneous) criticisms of the rule. For instance, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported the following on December 15th:
Athens[, GA] Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Broun cited the closing of two Georgia Power units at Plant Branch in Putnam County, which the company blamed on the cost of environmental compliance, as evidence that the EPA is damaging the economy.
“It’s absolutely critical the American people understand that this Marxist president and his Marxist agenda being promoted through EPA and other administration positions are trying to destroy everything that’s made this country great,”
Ignoring, if you can, the inflammatory language about Marxism and all the things that made the United States great (coal? what about democracy, justice, hard work and belief in progress?) Rep. Broun’s information about EPA policy is simply wrong. Georgia Power Company has explicitly stated that they are proposing to close two units at Plant Branch because of a state law not because of anything President Obama has done. A law known as the Georgia Multipollutant rule requires Plant Branch to either upgrade its environmental equipment or shut down. Georgia Power has decided that shutting down is the more affordable option.
EPA is poised to save lives and money but some politicians and utilities are so wedded to coal and unwilling to embrace change that they are willing to give up the truth–and human lives. Enough with lies and misinformation.