(Alexandria, Virginia) — The non-partisan 60 Plus Association, America’s largest free-market seniors advocacy organization, with over 7.2 million supporters, today sharply criticized Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s (R) decision to implement Obama’s Carbon rule, one of the most costly regulations ever proposed by the federal government, which seeks to drastically reduce carbon emissions from power plans by  32% by 2030. Snyder announced Michigan will work with the EPA on guidelines for his state’s energy mix to meet the EPA mandate.

“Today’s decision by Governor Snyder is disappointing and misguided,” said 60 Plus Vice-President Matthew Kandrach. “60 Plus represents more than 165,000 Michigan seniors, and thanks to the Governor’s support of Obama’s radical plan, they can all expect to see their electricity rates skyrocket by double digits within the next few years.”

Kandrach referenced multiple studies demonstrating that the rule will cause a significant spike in electric bills due to its targeting of electricity generated by the most affordable resources, including a 60 Plus study conducted in October of last year. This comes also as EPA administrator Gina  McCarthy admitted recently the Carbon rule will hit the poor and minorities the hardest, including Michigan’s more than 70% of seniors who live on fixed incomes.

“The Governor is putting the health, well-being, and very lives of seniors at risk. At a time when seniors are struggling to keep food on the table, pay for doctor visits and medication, making them pay drastically more for a necessity like electricity to heat their homes and cook their meals will be devastating and cruel to millions of elderly.

“We applaud Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, who is joining with more than a dozen state AGs to fight the regulation as a massive and unconstitutional overreach into the affairs and economies of the states. Michigan has already made tremendous strides in energy efficiency, and this came without bullying from Washington.

“We strongly believe the best way to improve the environment, while also protecting jobs, our economy, and our most vulnerable citizens barely making ends meet is to let the states innovate and employ new technology to meet their unique needs. We urge Gov. Snyder to follow the leadership example of his Attorney General and reject Obama’s federal energy takeover.

-30-