Via The Washington Examiner:

Last week’s announcement from the Trump administration, on the EPA’s new Affordable Clean Energy Plan to replace the Clean Power Plan, is another welcome addition to President Trump’s list of promises fulfilled that benefit American workers.

The American economy has long languished under burdensome, radical regulations imposed by the Obama administration. This revised plan will help change that, focusing on free market principles that will help achieve American energy dominance while still protecting our environment.

Like so many other radical regulations from the Obama administration, the Clean Power Plan rule was an illegal Washington power grab that would have killed jobs and imposed higher costs on American families and small businesses. This rule, if implemented, would have cost as much as $292 billion and caused electricity prices to increase between 10 and 30 percent in 40 states, according to an analysis by NERA. In Louisiana alone, nearly one million families would have been negatively affected by this radical regulation.

Further, Trump’s revised rule will allow each state to have greater input, so that the plan considers each state’s environmental needs and available energy sources. Local leaders on the ground, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington, have a greater knowledge of what are practical emission reduction goals when considering the energy resources that are available. The top-down, one-size-fits-all approach of the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan would have only killed jobs and raised energy prices, hurting hardworking families.

America has a wealth of resources, including coal, oil, natural gas, hydropower, and more. We should be utilizing every resource to reduce our reliance on energy from hostile countries, while also helping our friends around the world. Energy dominance means increased national security at home and abroad, while at the same time increasing prosperity and economic opportunity. The pursuit of all our energy sources leads to lower energy costs, new jobs, and more opportunity for all Americans.

During his administration, former President Barack Obama declared a war on coal and worked to strangle American energy. Today, I’m thankful for the results being delivered by Trump to reverse these misguided rules, especially with his revisions to the Clean Power Plan.

In just the two years working with Trump, we have been able to end the war on American energy to the benefit of hardworking families. Our Republican Congress has worked to roll back hundreds of harmful regulations that have stifled the economy. Now, the economy is booming, and American energy producers are growing and creating good jobs while providing affordable energy to consumers. I look forward to continuing to work with Trump on achieving American energy dominance, to strengthen our national security, and finally give economic opportunities to millions of people who were left behind.

Rep. Steve Scalise, a Republican representing Louisiana, is the Majority Whip in the U.S. House.

See the article here.