Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell has joined 16 other state attorneys general in opposing proposed Environmental Protection Agency guidelines aimed at curbing carbon emissions.

In a letter submitted to EPA, the attorneys general charged the new rules violate provisions of the Clean Air Act that give states more authority over power plants. The proposed rules would require 30 percent cuts in emissions below 2005 levels by power plants nationwide by the year 2030, in an effort to reduce greenhouse gases linked to global warming.

“This outrageous plan by the EPA usurps each state’s power to create its own energy generating and energy usage policies according to the best interest of its citizens,” Caldwell said in a news release announcing the letter. “This is a perfect example of out of control federal regulatory overreach in complete disregard for state sovereignty and in complete disregard of Congressional intent.”

The letter cites a recent study, sponsored by large industry groups, that projects a nationwide increase of between $366 billion and $479 billion in consumer energy costs nationwide between 2017 and 2031 as a result of the new rules. That report was sponsored by NERA Economic Consulting on behalf of organizations representing coal-powered power plants, petrochemical manufacturers, railroads, and mining, among others.

EPA has estimated the rule’s cost at $7.3 billion to $8.8 billion a year in 2030, but said it would be offset by $55 billion to $93 billion in healthcare and climate-related savings.

Caldwell joined the attorneys general of Oklahoma, West Virginia, Nebraska, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming in signing the Nov. 24 letter.

Read the article here.