New Pollution Regulations Will Cost You

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania DEP reinstated CAIR (the Clean Air Interstate Rule) after a successful appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. In July, the same court struck down the regulation citing serious flaws in the program.

While the EPA works to address the court's concerns, power companies are still expected to comply with the first phase of reductions come January 1st. The regulations are estimated to cost power utilities about $4 billion a year, costs which will be passed on to electricity consumers at a rate of $1 more on each monthly electric bill.

This is a perfect example of how regulation stunts the economy by randomly raising the cost of doing business. Not to mention no one asked me if I wanted to pay an extra dollar each month to reduce nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions.

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