I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4850 
To amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the regulation of emissions of 
carbon dioxide from new or existing power plants under certain circumstances. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 12, 2014 
Mr. DAINES (for himself and Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the regulation of 
emissions of carbon dioxide from new or existing power 
plants under certain circumstances. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Coal Jobs and Afford-
able Energy Protection Act of 2014’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) America has enough coal to last for 200 
years. Today this abundant, low-cost, and reliable 
resource generates approximately 40 percent of the 
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Nation’s electricity—more than any other energy 
source. But new estimates show that because of 
looming regulatory restrictions, a large number of 
America’s coal-fired plants would be forced to close 
over the next 6 years, weakening the reliability of 
the power grid, increasing the price of energy, and 
depriving consumers of enough generating capacity 
to supply electricity to as many as 50 million homes. 
(2) Consumers should not be forced to pay for 
unproven technology. The Environmental Protection 
Agency’s performance standards for new coal-fired 
power plants rely on ‘‘carbon capture and storage’’ 
technology that is not only unproven, but also pro-
hibitively expensive. One Department of Energy offi-
cial recently told Congress that implementing this 
technology could increase the wholesale price of elec-
tricity by as much as 80 percent. 
(3) Higher energy prices hit the poor harder. 
Policies that increase the price of electricity tax 
those who can least afford it—elderly Americans on 
fixed incomes and low-income families. Households 
with annual incomes at $50,000 or less already 
spend more of their budgets on energy than on food. 
Policies that hike the price of electricity will harm 
most those already on tight budgets. 
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(4) More expensive electricity hurts American 
industry. Policies that produce higher and more 
volatile electricity costs harm many of America’s 
basic industries, damaging their ability to control 
costs, generate profits, and compete in global mar-
kets. For the United States steel industry, for exam-
ple, a 1 cent increase in the price of electricity adds 
$450 million in additional expense—money that 
won’t be used to improve operations and increase 
employment. 
(5) Coal-fired power plants today are cleaner 
and more efficient than ever before. The coal plants 
of the 21st century emit 40 percent less carbon diox-
ide than the average 20th century coal plant, and 
the technology is constantly improving. Policies that 
shut down generating capacity and raise prices— 
rather than nurture the development of additional 
coal technologies—will only harm all of the Nation’s 
energy users, families, and businesses alike. 
SEC. 3. REGULATION OF EMISSIONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE 
FROM NEW OR EXISTING POWER PLANTS. 
(a) LIMITATION ON REGULATION.—The Clean Air 
Act is amended by inserting after section 312 (42 U.S.C. 
7612) the following: 
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‘‘SEC. 313. LIMITATION ON REGULATION OF EMISSIONS OF 
CARBON DIOXIDE FROM NEW OR EXISTING 
POWER PLANTS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION
OF NEW
OR EXISTING POWER 
PLANT.—In this section, the term ‘new or existing power 
plant’ means a fossil fuel-fired power plant that com-
mences operation at any time. 
‘‘(b) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law (including regulations), the Administrator may 
not promulgate any regulation or guidance that limits or 
prohibits any new carbon dioxide emissions from a new 
or existing power plant, and no such regulation or guid-
ance shall have any force or effect, until the date on 
which— 
‘‘(1) the Secretary of Labor certifies to the Ad-
ministrator that the regulation or guidance will not 
generate any loss of employment; 
‘‘(2) the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office certifies to the Administrator that the regula-
tion or guidance will not result in any loss in the 
gross domestic product of the United States; 
‘‘(3) the Administrator of the Energy Informa-
tion Administration certifies to the Administrator 
that the regulation or guidance will not generate any 
increase in electricity rates in the United States; and 
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‘‘(4) the Chairperson of the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission and the President of the 
North American Electric Reliability Corporation cer-
tify to the Administrator the reliability of electricity 
delivery under the regulation or guidance.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.—The Clean Air Act is 
amended by redesignating the second section 317 (42 
U.S.C. 7617) (relating to economic impact assessment) as 
section 318. 
Æ 
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