by Alexander Hendrie & Chris Prandoni
Americans for Tax Reform

Americans for Tax Reform today released a coalition letter signed by 32 nationwide conservative or free-market organizations supporting Sen. Mitch McConnell’s work with states to contest the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan (CPP).

Last June the EPA proposed the legally precarious CPP that requires states to reduce carbon emissions but would increase electricity costs for consumers and threaten grid reliability. In a letter sent to every state, Sen. McConnell urged governors to think twice before getting their fingerprints on EPA’s proposal.

Free-market and conservative groups from across the country endorsed Sen. McConnell’s strategy, writing:

“We also agree with you that states are completely within their legal rights to “just say no” and let EPA take sole responsibility for implementing the 111(d) rule. The right of states to keep their fingerprints off what they regard as a misguided or unlawful rule is basic to the very concept of cooperative federalism.”

“It is therefore appropriate for Congress, the branch of government charged with keeping the Executive in check, to help states fully understand the obligations and consequences flowing from obscure federal regulations. After all, Congress wrote the laws the EPA is using to justify the CPP.”

Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, praised Sen. McConnell’s leadership and criticized EPA’s pressure campaign saying “EPA is asking states to do what the agency knows it cannot legally do: control carbon emissions ‘outside the fence.’” Norquist continued, “Before states submit a State Implementation Plan, governors and legislators would do well to heed Sen. McConnell’s advice and study the impacts of the Clean Power Plan while waiting for the courts to rule on the Clean Power Plan’s legality.”

The full letter can be found here.

The coalition letter was signed by:

60 Plus Association

American Energy Alliance

AmericanCommitment

Americans for Prosperity

Americans for Tax Reform

Beacon Center of Tennessee

The Bluegrass Institute

Buckeye institute

Caesar Rodney Institute

The Cardinal Institute for West Virginia

Civitas Institute

Competitive Enterprise Institute

Concerned Women for America

Council for Citizens Against Government Waste

E&E Legal

Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce

HomeMakers for America

Independence Institute

Independent Women’s Forum

Independent Women’s Voice

I am Created Equal, Colorado

The James Madison Institute

The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy

Let Freedom Ring

Maine Heritage Policy Center

Mississippi Center for Public Policy

Montana Policy Institute

National Taxpayers Union

Public Interest Institute

Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity

Rio Grande Foundation

Taxpayers Protection Alliance