The fallout has begun just one day after a federal appeals court scrapped a major EPA rule designed to curb long-distance drifting power plant pollution — and Louisville’s air quality may pay the price.
A Western Kentucky utility told the Kentucky Public Service Commission Wednesday that it intends to abandon pollution controls that would have allowed it comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, also known as the transport rule.
Henderson-based Big Rivers Electric Cooperative, which owns and operates four generating stations and a 1,266-mile transmission system, could save its customers about $225 million by dropping pollution controls required for the transport rule, said Marty Littrel, cooperative spokesman.
Stavins and Schmalensee conclude:
Existing studies providing estimates of the Transport Rule’s benefits and costs consistently find that benefits outweigh costs, on a national basis, often by a wide margin.*With apologies to Kid Rock.
