By: CAROLINE BECK, Alabama Daily News
After several Alabama congressional delegation and state government officials reacted to the Trump administration’s decision on Tuesday to introduce the Affordable Clean Energy rule to replace the Obama administrations Clean Power Plan, Democratic candidate for Alabama’s second district, Tabitha Isner, told Alabama Daily news her thoughts on the situation.
While the Republicans were supportive of the new plan, Isner expressed her concerns about how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was being run and said that having different lobbying groups that are influencing the agency and how they make their policy should not be allowed.
In general I am concerned having lobbyists for the coal energy be in charge of the EPA, to me that’s like having the fox guard the hen house, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. We need to have folks in that position who are concerned about the mission of that agency. We have other departments that are focused on the needs of the industry.
Isner also said that she does not think the new ACE rule will be sufficient enough to measure the progress being made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and therefore isn’t a suitable way to hold the Trump administration accountable for their efforts in preventing the effects of climate change.
I am concerned that Trump’s plan does not set goals or metrics by which to measure progress. We all know that the best way in today’s society to hold folks accountable is to have metrics and goals that we use to measure progress towards them. There are also lots of other energy sources that are viable and that are more sustainable and less dangerous to the American people. We know that this change would result in more pollution related illnesses and early deaths, the EPA’s own findings show that but secondly we know that there are other options and we need to be looking forward rather than backward.
The congresswoman Isner seeks to replace in the November general election, Rep. Martha Roby, spoke out in favor of Trump’s new plan saying that the CPP was too restrictive in its regulations and therefore hindering Alabamians working in energy fields.
“President Trump’s plan to roll back the Obama Administration’s so-called ‘Clean Power Plan’ represents an important step towards returning power to the states and further dismantling the Obama-era regulatory regime. For eight long years, Alabamians suffered under an overly-empowered EPA that burdened hardworking men and women with countless overreaching regulations. I believe that American innovation and our unique entrepreneurial spirit are the keys to meeting the energy challenges of the 21st Century. The President’s proposed ACE plan embraces this outlook and will give Alabama businesses certainty moving forward,” said Roby.
Caroline Beck is a reporter living in Montgomery. Follow her on Twitter @CarolineBeckADN or email her at [email protected]