BISMARCK -- North Dakotans have become complacent when it comes to electricity sources. We don't experience brownouts, and our rates have remained relatively stable for decades. You flip a switch, and the light turns on or the TV flashes to life.
But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Barack Obama seems hell-bent on changing that by eliminating coal from the generation mix.
In 2012, the EPA proposed to regulate greenhouse gases from new power plants and expects to finalize the rule in 2013. If adopted, the rule effectively will ban the construction of all new coal-based power plants.
Even the EPA admits that the rule will impose a standard that is well beyond the reach of any commercially available technology today or in the foreseeable future. Called the New Source Performance Standard, it also would apply to existing power plants that make significant changes to improve efficiency or reduce emissions.
Recent EPA rules have already forced the retirement of almost 40 gigawatts of coal-based electricity generation, which is more than four times what the EPA predicted. A gigawatt is enough electricity to serve 800,000 homes.
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The EPA's rules and proposed regulations have put a chill on North Dakota's lignite industry, which in the past five years invested more than a billion dollars to ensure the plants would continue to produce low cost, reliable electricity in an environmentally safe manner.
But the standards now are being moved again, and the electric consumers are going to be the ones left holding the bag.
North Dakota's lignite industry has more than $15 billion invested in plants and infrastructure, which produces enough electricity to serve not only our state's needs but also customers in neighboring states, especially Minnesota. If the EPA shuts down our power plants, North Dakota stands to lose a lot -- thousands of good paying jobs, tax revenue and the ability to produce low-cost, reliable electricity.
Our U.S. senators and congressman understand the high cost our state will pay for new EPA rules. Still, we must motivate them to continue to pressure the Obama Administration and the EPA to stop the regulatory train wreck before it's too late.
Link is executive director of the North Dakota Construction Council.
