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PSC Opposes Proposed Rules on Greenhouse Gases

By Beacon Staff

HELENA – Montana’s Public Service Commission says it opposes proposed federal rules to restrict greenhouse gas emissions for new power plants.

The PSC said in a statement Monday that it sent the Environmental Protection Agency a letter urging the agency to withdraw its proposed rules for New Source Performance Standards.

The five Republican members of the commission say the rules would make it difficult to build any new coal-fired electricity plants in the U.S. They say Montana has large coal reserves said the proposed rules would be a bane for the state.

The proposal would limit carbon dioxide emissions from new power plants to 1,000 pounds per megawatt-hour of electricity.

The rules were proposed in March 2012 but the EPA has delayed issuing a draft of them.