Republican lawmakers want to know why the Obama administration didn’t consider the fate of Florida’s beloved “sea cows” in drafting strict emission rules for power plants at the center of the president’s climate change agenda.
In a letter sent Monday to the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., and Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, asked why the agency failed to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service on the impact of the rules on endangered species, including the manatee, the peaceful marine mammal that has become the mascot of the Sunshine State.
The committee chairmen are requesting that the EPA provide all communications with the Interior Department on the effect of the rules on endangered species by June 22.
The lawmakers point out that by threatening the closure of coal-fired power plants, the EPA emission regulations would damage the habitat for the animals, which are protected under the government’s Endangered Species Act.
The lawmakers point out that two coal plants in Florida, the Big Bend and Crystal River power stations, are located in designated manatee refuges. Both power stations have been integrated into the refuges and have specific water discharge programs to benefit the marine mammals.
“A regulation that causes designated manatee refuges like Big Bend or Crystal River to shut down or alter their operations would significantly and adversely affect the endangered manatee,” the letter states.
The Republicans said that the hot water discharges that come from the two power plants allow the manatees to thrive in the winter. And since the sea cows are endangered, they should be given special consideration before implementing the rules that could require the power plants to close or dramatically curtail operations.
“The most recent government analysis projects that retirements of coal-fired power plants will double by 2020 as a result of the rule,” the letter reads. “EPA itself has conducted analysis that also anticipates the early retirement of coal-fired generating units.”
Inhofe, who is chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, is leading the charge against the EPA emission rules, known as the Clean Power Plan. Bishop is chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, and is proponent of fossil energy use. The committees have jurisdiction over endangered species regulations.
Inhofe argues that the rules would drive up the cost of electricity with minimal gains for the environment. The Clean Power Plan is the centerpiece of President Obama’s climate change agenda. The rules target the emissions that many scientists say are causing the Earth’s climate to warm, resulting in more severe weather.
The EPA plan directs states to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions beginning in 2020, with the goal of reaching a 30 percent reduction in emissions by 2030. Many states argue that EPA does not have the legal authority to direct states to comply with the regulations, and litigation is expected after the rules are made final this summer.
