IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 59 

Expressing the sense of Congress that the Environmental Protection Agency 

should hold public listening sessions on regulations targeting carbon 

dioxide emissions from existing power plants in those States most directly 

impacted by the potential regulations. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 8, 2013 

Mrs. CAPITO (for herself, Mrs. LUMMIS, Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio, Mr. MCKINLEY, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. SMITH of Missouri, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. ROGERS

of Kentucky, Mr. TERRY, Mr. STIVERS, Mr. GUTHRIE, Mrs. WALORSKI, 

Mr. GOSAR, Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. LONG, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Mr. DAINES, and Mr. BARR) submitted the following concurrent 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of Congress that the Environmental 

Protection Agency should hold public listening sessions 

on regulations targeting carbon dioxide emissions from 

existing power plants in those States most directly impacted by the potential regulations. 

Whereas coal provides affordable, reliable energy that provides low-cost electricity to individuals and businesses 

across the country; 

Whereas nearly 40 percent of all electricity generated in the 

United States comes from coal; 


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•HCON 59 IH 

Whereas the 15 States with the highest percentage of electricity generated from coal in 2012 were West Virginia, 

Kentucky, Wyoming, Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, 

Utah, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Colorado, Kansas, 

Iowa, Montana, and Wisconsin; 

Whereas President Obama announced on June 25, 2013, that 

the Environmental Protection Agency would promulgate 

regulations targeting greenhouse gas emissions from existing coal-fired power plants with a proposed rule to be 

released in June 2014 and a final rule adopted in June 

2015; 

Whereas, on September 30, 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency announced the public listening sessions on 

rulemaking targeting greenhouse gas emissions from existing coal-fired power plants would be held in Boston, 

Massachusetts; New York City, New York; Philadelphia, 

Pennsylvania; Atlanta, Georgia; Denver, Colorado; 

Lenexa, Kansas; San Francisco, California; Washington, 

DC; Dallas, Texas; Seattle, Washington; and Chicago, Illinois; 

Whereas the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement of the listening sessions states that ‘‘[t]he feedback 

from these 11 public listening sessions will play an important role in helping EPA develop smart, cost-effective 

guidelines that reflect the latest and best information 

available’’; 

Whereas none of the 11 public listening sessions announced 

by the Environmental Protection Agency will be held in 

one of the 10 States with the highest percentage of electricity generated from coal; 


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•HCON 59 IH 

Whereas none of the 11 public listening sessions announced 

by the Environmental Protection Agency will be held in 

one of the top 3 coal-producing States; 

Whereas the 10 States and the District of Columbia where 

public listening sessions will be held generate an average 

of 26 percent of their electricity from coal; 

Whereas regulatory efforts that could lead to the retirement 

of additional coal-fired power plants would have a disproportionate impact on jobs, utility rates, and the overall economy in States that rely on coal for a higher percentage of electricity generation; 

Whereas the Environmental Protection Agency should use its 

public listening sessions to hear the potential impact of 

its regulatory actions in those States where the regulatory impact would be the greatest; and 

Whereas the Environmental Protection Agency’s stated goal 

of using the listening sessions to help EPA ‘‘develop 

smart, cost-effective guidelines’’ cannot be achieved by 

excluding the views of residents in those States that rely 

most heavily on coal for electricity generation: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that— 

3 (1) public listening sessions on rulemaking tar4 geting carbon dioxide emissions from existing power 

5 plants should be held in each of the fifteen States 

6 with the highest percentage of electricity generated 

7 by coal in 2012 (West Virginia, Kentucky, Wyoming, 

8 Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Utah, Nebraska, 


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•HCON 59 IH 

1 New Mexico, Ohio, Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, Mon2 tana, and Wisconsin); and 

3 (2) such listening sessions should be held at a 

4 time and place that would maximize the ability of in5 dividuals to participate. 

Æ 


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