Americans are demanding energy independence that will lead to lower costs and a stronger economy. Sadly, the EPA’s proposals take us in the OPPOSITE direction.

(Alexandria, VA) – The 60 Plus Association, a national non-partisan senior citizens group with over 7.2 million senior supporters, today issued a statement in opposition to the re-proposal of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards pertaining to the emission of greenhouse gases. The statement is based on comments submitted by 60 Plus Chairman Jim Martin to the EPA.  If implemented, these new regulations will eliminate the possibility of new coal plants being built to replace the plants currently being shut down. This precedent could further force existing coal plants to be unnecessarily shut down.

Said Martin, “Of special concern to me, and the millions of seniors we represent, is the continued and artificially high price of electricity most Americans pay every day. Any increase in the price of electricity or natural gas is harmful to the seniors. Seniors on fixed or diminishing incomes especially pay a disproportionate share of their modest income for utilities, and I believe our nation ought to take every reasonable step within its power to enhance our supply of safe and secure energy.

“Existing EPA rules are already driving up the costs of natural gas and electricity prices. The new rule will only exacerbate the problem and send the utility bills of seniors and families skyward. What our nation needs and struggling Americans deserve is more energy abundance to lower prices, not more rules from Washington. Preserving and growing the contribution of coal-based electricity is the surest and most reliable to deflate electricity prices.

“This is also an issue of life or death for many elderly. Higher utility bills during times of brutal cold and heat often lead to tragedies of seniors dying in their homes or being hospitalized during extreme weather, unable to pay their utility bill. Promoting, not destroying, projects that create an abundance of reliable electric generating capacity for our nation is critical to America’s seniors, not just because it affects their pocketbooks, but for reasons of life and death.

“Seniors cannot state more strongly our opposition to stricter EPA rules that not only negatively impact our nation’s economy, but adversely affect the quality of life and the very health of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens.”

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