Post from erichouseholder at CHUMLY

President Obama was Right!
During my interim's in Charleston, Mark Dempsey the Vice President of external affairs for AEP - Appalachian Power gave a presentation on the increasing cost of residential utility rates in WV. Mr. Dempsey explained to the Joint Standing Committee on Government Organization that I serve on that APCO-WV had spent $2.5 billion on environmental retrofits to comply with the cost of federal environmental mandates.
Remember when, Barack Obama told the San Francisco Chronicle: "You know, under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Well Obama was right! Under President Obama’s Administration the EPA has waged a war on coal, and the EPA continues to deny coal permits making it very difficult for coal mining operations in West Virginia. The EPA’s refusal to grant permits has caused the cost of coal to sky rocket because production is being limited.
The environmental regulations have forced Appalachian Power to close 11 power generation plants due to the cost of complying with C.A.T.R., the Clean Air Transport Rule and the Hazardous Air Pollutant Rule that goes into effect January 1, 2015. Appalachian Power has reduced its workforce by 14% because of these regulations.
Mr. Dempsey went on to inform the committee that APCO-WV will have to spend another $700 million dollars to comply with"The Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Act” that mandates that electric utilities in West Virginia must obtain 25% of their electricity from alternative or renewable energy sources by 2025. There are target dates within the legislation: 10% by 2015 and 15% by 2020. Mr. Dempsey went on to say that,"For decades, we were by far one of the cheapest utilities in the country.” We expect utility rates to increase because of the environmental mandates coming down from the EPA.
So, President Obama was right! Obama went on to say in his interview,"I’m capping greenhouse gases. Utilities will have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers."
http://chumly.com/n/e35d1b