ACCCE applauds the FHSCC for its letter to Congress expressing the concerns over the rising electricity costs that will impact Hispanic business across Florida as a result of EPA regulations.
Posted by Michelle Lopez on Sun, May 27, 2012 @ 03:30 PM
Our nation is facing one of the toughest and longest economic declines in our lifetimes. On top of high unemployment and stagnant incomes, Florida families and businesses now are threatened with rising energy prices created by increased and intrusive government regulations.
Energy already represents a large expense for Floridians. According to a recent analysis by economist Eugene Trisko, the 55 percent of Floridians who earn less than $50,000 a year must devote nearly a quarter of their take home pay to energy costs. That situation is worse for lower income families and Hispanics: Where the poorest households that earn less than $10,000 annually spend 74 percent of their family income on energy (before government assistance). Due to income disparities, Hispanics are hit harder by higher energy prices.
Coalitions such as the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) are working hard to keep energy prices low here in Florida and across the country. And, in Florida that means continuing to use affordable and efficient U.S. coal resources, which is America’s most abundant domestically produced fuel.
Everyone wants clean air to breathe, so coal companies have been committed to making coal a clean energy source, investing roughly $90 billion since 1990 in technologies to reduce emissions. These investments have paid real dividends, with emissions of three major air pollutants being cut by nearly 90 percent over the past 30 years.
But when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) imposes new regulations intended to prevent the use of American coal, Floridians will be stuck with higher energy prices and fewer jobs. Coal is responsible for nearly a quarter of the electricity generated in Florida. So it seems incredible that some would advocate for higher prices and fewer jobs at a time when our economy is struggling.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that U.S. demand for electricity will continue to rise over the next 25 years. To meet that growing demand, we need to support a national policy where all domestic fuels can fairly compete in finding ways to reduce energy costs and invest in the future. However, the EPA seems singularly focused on phasing out coal by making it harder for the coal industry to participate in the energy market.
During these uncertain economic times and growing demand for energy, Florida Hispanic businesses should be able to count on coal and clean coal technology to reduce expenses, help create jobs and keep American businesses competitive. In fact, coal is directly responsible for more than half a million jobs in the United States and indirectly responsible for millions more.
But EPA’s continued attack on the coal industry will ultimately destroy many of these jobs. A study for ACCCE by National Economic Research Associates found that EPA’s latest rules would destroy more than 180,000 American jobs per year through 2020.
Despite EPA’s efforts to derail the coal industry, 221 Democrat and Republican Members of the U.S. House of Representative have already sent a letter to the White House demanding changes to the most recent set of EPA power plant regulations. In addition, many Senators are supporting a resolution to block the Utility MACT Rule, which is the most costly and damaging of EPA’s regulations on power plants. ACCCE is working across partisan lines to make sure that clean coal technology continues to play a critical role in solving the nation’s energy crisis and achieve greater economic prosperity and more energy independence.
ACCCE applauds the FHSCC for its letter to Congress expressing the concerns over the rising electricity costs that will impact Hispanic business across Florida as a result of EPA regulations.
Let’s stand up for Florida and her future by embracing low cost American energy sources that help Florida businesses, including Hispanic-owned businesses to compete and succeed.
For more information on how clean coal technology is helping America, visit ACCCE .
Contact: Lisa Miller 703-585-3633