02/16/2012

Barbara Walz, Senior Vice President for Policy and Environmental, Tri-State G&T Association, testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations raising Tri-State's concerns over the effect that new and proposed federal regulations will have on electric utilities. Ms. Walz told the committee the uncertainty surrounding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Regional Haze and Coal Ash regulations is making it difficult for electric utilities to plan the necessary investments to meet these requirements. Ms. Walz also informed the committee that EPA's new Utility MACT regulation is too stringent, creating emission standards that are unachievable for electric utilities in the real world on a continuous basis and not providing enough time for electric utilities to comply with these standards. Ms. Walz urged the committee to continue their oversight of EPA in order to help Tri-State and other electric cooperatives continue providing affordable, reliable electricity.