INDIANAPOLIS — Americans for Prosperity, the state’s leading advocate for commonsense, free-market energy policies, praised Governor Mike Pence’s previous commitment to not submit an implementation plan for the new Clean Power Plan rule and urged other state leaders to follow suit. AFP pointed out that the controversial rule is still under consideration by the courts and is expected to result in double digit annual electrical rate hikes and job losses.

AFP Regional and Indiana State Director Chase Downham provided the following statement:

“Despite the Obama administration’s rhetoric, Governor Pence, Indiana ratepayers, energy producers, and regulators know that implementing this rule will only have negative effects on the economy. That’s why this rule is still being litigated in the courts and why the EPA has kicked the can down the road another two years and admitted that states have the choice of whether to submit an implementation plan.

Indiana leaders should say no to submitting a plan and thereby shield our economy from this disastrous rule.”

Electricity rates could hike in Indiana by as much as 15 percent a year due to the EPA’s new rule, according to a National Economic Research Associates study. AFP has noted that the rule abuses the Clean Air Act to police states’ existing power plant emissions and is even broader than the version proposed a year ago. The group also noted that delaying the deadline for implementation by two years was an acknowledgement that the policy is simply unworkable.

Downham continued: “The EPA can’t hide the fact that implementing this rule will cost thousands of jobs and result in more expensive power bills. We hope our state leaders will have the courage to do the right thing and say no to letting the EPA implement their disastrous rule in Indiana.”

The final “Clean Power Plan” rule, released today, will require states to cut an average of 32 percent of their carbon-dioxide emissions by 2030, up from 30 percent in the proposed rule floated last year.  It will also delay the timeline for implementation by the states for two years.