NH House Disagrees with EPA Decision
NH House Speaker William O’Brien and House Majority D.J. Bettencourt had something to say about the EPA’s decision to require a $112 million expense at PSNH electricity plant in Bow. Here are the statements they released this morning:
“At a time when we are doing everything we can to make New Hampshire more competitive and attractive to employers, the federal government is seeking to punish our residents and small businesses with higher electric rates through unnecessary regulation. The Granite State already has among the highest energy costs in the nation, and this federal mandate will make these costs even higher and make it harder to expand our economy. If President Obama is truly interested in helping create new jobs, he will stop his overzealous regulatory agency immediately. We accept the fact that the Obama Administration will not be assisting our country in allowing businesses to create new jobs. In New Hampshire, all we ask is that it not actively work to prevent job growth. The working families of New Hampshire simply can’t afford a $15 a year hit in their wallets.” – House Speaker William O’Brien
“This is just one more example of government regulation running amok. The Obama Administration, without any data to support their findings and 14 years late, decided that the electric ratepayers should be stuck with an additional cost of $15 each year. This is a hidden federal tax increase through a heavy-handed mandate. This is just the type of regulation that House Republicans have been fighting, as we passed 43 new laws this year to reduce bureaucracy and red tape. While we are making it easier to grow the economy, Democrats in Washington are pushing job-killing regulations to knock our fragile economy back on its knees. This crushing federal mandate needs to be lifted now, and we call on President Obama and Senator Shaheen, who is a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, to stop this absurd and outrageous assault on New Hampshire electric ratepayers.” – House Majority Leader DJ Bettencourt