Energy Independence Executive Order ‘A Pro-Growth And Pro-Environment Approach’

‘President Donald Trump Will Sign A Sweeping Executive Order Tuesday’ ‘Putting American Jobs’ First

“‘This is about making sure that we have a pro-growth and pro-environment approach to how we do regulation in this country,’ Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, said on ABC’s ‘This Week’ program on Sunday.” (“Trump To Issue Far-Reaching Reversal Of Obama Climate Push,” Bloomberg, 3/26/17)

“President Donald Trump will sign a sweeping executive order Tuesday at the Environmental Protection Agency, which looks to curb the federal government's enforcement of climate regulations by putting American jobs above addressing climate change.” (“In Executive Order, Trump To Dramatically Change US Approach To Climate Change,” CNN, 3/28/17)

• “The centerpiece of the new presidential directive, telling the Environmental Protection Agency to begin rewriting the 2015 regulation that limits greenhouse-gas emissions from existing power plants… mining officials welcomed it as an important course correction in federal energy policy.” (“Trump Moves Decisively To Wipe Out Obama’s Climate-Change Record,” The Washington Post, 3/27/17)

FLASHBACK: ‘Mitch McConnell Is Going All In’ Opposing The Obama Administration’s ‘Deeply Regressive Energy Regulations’

SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “The Obama administration's so-called ‘clean power’ regulation seeks to shut down more of America's power generation under the guise of protecting the climate. In reality, this proposed regulation would have a negligible effect on global climate but a profoundly negative impact on countless American families already struggling. The regulation is unfair. It's probably illegal. And state officials can do something about it; in fact, many are already fighting back. I'm calling for others to join.” (Sen. McConnell, “States Should Reject Obama Mandate For Clean-Power Regulations,” Lexington Herald Leader, 3/3/15)

• “Earlier in March, McConnell encouraged states to opt out of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan with an op-ed in the Lexington Herald-Leader. On Thursday, McConnell took it a step further by sending a letter to all 50 governors...” (“McConnell Is Now Going Outside Of The Senate To Obstruct Obama,” New Republic, 3/20/15)

SALON: “Mitch McConnell is going all in on his promise ‘do everything [he] can to try to stop’ the EPA.” (Salon, 3/20/15)

• LIBERAL GREG SARGENT: “It might actually work.” (Greg Sargent, The Washington Posts’ ‘The Plum Line,’ 3/23/15)

LAST CONGRESS: The Senate Joined ‘Avalanche Of Attacks On The Obama Administration’s Rules’ Assaulting Coal Families

“Both chambers of Congress this week are set to join the avalanche of attacks on the Obama administration’s rules limiting emissions from the power sector.” (“Republicans Attack Climate Rules To Send Message To UN,” National Journal, 10/26/15)

SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “Tonight, the U.S. Senate voted to stand up for Middle Class Americans, and specifically our hard working Kentucky coal miners and their families, by voting to overturn the Obama Administration’s deeply regressive energy regulations that would eliminate good-paying jobs, punish the poor, and make it even harder for Kentuckians to put food on the table.” (“Senate Attacks Obama’s Landmark Climate Rules,” Huffington Post, 11/18/15)

• “The Senate resolution, which passed 52 to 46, would scuttle a rule that would significantly cut heat-trapping carbon emissions from existing coal-fired power plants. That Environmental Protection Agency rule, released in August, is the centerpiece of Mr. Obama's efforts to address climate change. A second resolution, which also passed 52 to 46, would strike a related E.P.A. rule intended to freeze construction of future coal-fired power plants.” (“Senate Rejects Obama Plan To Cut Emissions At Coal-Burning Plants,” The New York Times, 11/18/15)

The ‘War On Coal’ Families Was ‘The Centerpiece Of Obama’s Climate Agenda’

“The [EPA’s power plant] rule… is the centerpiece of Obama’s climate agenda — but its sweeping scope and strict standards make it an especially contentious regulation.” (“Wave Of Litigation Hits Obama Climate Rule,” The Hill, 10/24/15)

• “The regulations were made final in August by the Environmental Protection Agency, and are the main pillar of Obama’s second-term push against climate change.” (“Senate Tees Up Votes Against Obama’s Climate Rules,” The Hill, 11/16/15)

• “The heart of the U.S. commitment consists of proposed EPA power plant regulations that industry groups and congressional Republicans are already trying to undercut, both by pursuing court challenges and by urging states not to comply.” (“Obama Pledges Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cuts,” Politico, 3/31/15)

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION: ‘A War On Coal Is Exactly What’s Needed’ 

“…Obama’s new rules are absolutely changing the trajectory of the power industry. He has been an ally in the war on coal …” (“Obama’s Ozone Lesson,” Politico, 10/15)

HILLARY CLINTON: “We’re going to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business.” (“Why Putting Coal Miners Out Of Work Is A Very Bad Thing To Say In West Virginia,” The Washington Post, 5/10/16)

DANIEL P. SCHRAG, Obama White House Climate Adviser: ‘A war on coal is exactly what’s needed’ “The one thing the president really needs to do now is to begin the process of shutting down the conventional coal plants. …a war on coal is exactly what’s needed.” (The New York Times, 6/25/13)

Obama EPA Official: ‘Make examples out of people,’ ‘crucify them’ “The Romans used to conquer little villages in the Mediterranean. They’d go into a little Turkish (sic) town somewhere, they’d find the first five guys they saw and they would crucify them. And then you know that town was really easy to manage for the next few years. And so you make examples out of people...” (Forbes, 4/26/12)

THEN-SEN. BARACK OBAMA: “Under my plan of a cap and trade system electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket, even, you know, regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad, because I'm capping greenhouse gases, coal powered plants, you know, natural gas, you name it, whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers.” (The San Francisco Chronicle, 1/17/08)

• THEN-SEN. BARACK OBAMA: “So if somebody wants to build a coal fired plant they can, it’s just that it will bankrupt them because they are going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that is being emitted.” (The San Francisco Chronicle, 1/17/08)