The most costly and extreme government regulation ever created puts a target directly on the backs of America’s seniors.
(Alexandria, Virginia) — The 60 Plus Association, the nation’s largest center-right seniors advocacy group with over 7.2 million supporters, today issued a blistering condemnation of the EPA announcing they have finalized their so-called ‘Clean Power Plan,’ which regulates power plant emissions. The rule is issued after more than a year of comment and review by the public, which did little to change EPA’s course in issuing a regulation which studies have shown will increase energy costs for most Americans by up to 20% to 30%.
Said 60 Plus Vice-President Matthew Kandrach, who participated in several public hearings regarding the rule, “The Clean Power Plan (CPP) will be brutal on the pocketbooks of most Americans, but for seniors this rule is absolutely devastating. There is no doubt this attack on our most plentiful and affordable energy options will lead to sharp increases in the monthly electric bill, which seniors just cannot afford. This is a dark day for America’s elderly.
“Economic studies have shown consistently that CPP will push more seniors into poverty, and that figure is even more alarming for Hispanic and African-American seniors. More than 70% of the elderly are living on fixed incomes that do not keep pace with inflation, and causing a critical necessity like their electric bill to spike 20% to 30% as CPP will do is flat out unconscionable.
“Tragic news stories we’ve seen in the past — of seniors dying in their homes or being hospitalized because they could not pay their electric bill during scorching summers or bone-chilling winters — will only increase if this rule is fully implemented. CPP puts the lives of our parents and grandparents directly at risk. The White House needs to get the message loud and clear that senior lives matter!”
Kandrach noted that the battle over CPP is still at play in the courts, where it has already received several unfavorable rulings, and further requires participation by each individual state to draw up their own compliance schedules for the rule to be implemented. Kandrach is urging state governors to say no to assisting EPA.
“CPP remains an illegal, unconstitutional power grab by a federal agency run amok, and we are confident the courts will at some point bring a halt to it. In the meantime, it is important that state leaders continue to fight this regulation, reject EPA requests for state plans, and file suits if need be to stop CPP in its tracks. Seven states have already filed suit and more are likely to take that route. Governors need to stand as a firewall and protect their citizens from the harsh consequences of CPP, which will be a back-breaker for our most poor and vulnerable citizens.”
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