Rep Gooch Criticizes EPA

The chairman of the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee says he would not have a problem with coal being replaced as one of the country’s major sources of energy. 

However, Democrat Jim Gooch says market forces should make that determination, not the federal government.

“They’re making sure we can’t burn coal. You’re not going to build any new facilities. You have existing plants to roll, but because of New Source Review, they haven’t let us upgrade those and update those plants to where they would have been cleaner.”

Gooch claims the federal EPA is now picking winners and losers in the energy industry and he has a problem with that.  The Providence lawmaker made his comments at a public hearing in Frankfort last week.