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Congressman Randy Neugebauer (R-TX) questioned Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy at a Science Committee hearing onStrengthening Transparency and Accountability at the EPA.  Neugebauer pressed McCarthy for answers on rulemaking for new power plants under the Clean Air Act. 

Video of the exchange is available here. 

“I’m concerned that the EPA’s rules would essentially require Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) at new power plants, when the technology has yet to be adequately demonstrated at full-scale at existing plants,” Neugebauer said. 

“The facilities that EPA cites in support of this rule—both in testimony and in EPA’s rulemaking—are not operating CCS full-scale,” Neugebauer said.  “Moreover, the majority of these plants have received Clean Coal Power Initiative funding.  The Energy Policy Act of 2005 clearly states that projects receiving funding from this program can’t be used to prove a technology is adequately demonstrated.  That’s because the goal of CCPI was to fund untested technology. The law recognizes that these taxpayer funded projects could not truly represent what was achievable in the commercial marketplace.”

Neugebauer was disappointed with McCarthy’s stance.  “EPA is trying to impose a costly rule requiring technology that isn't fully functional, using examples that aren't permissible.  That’s a dangerous way to make policy.”

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