OWENSBORO– Gov. Matt Bevin, R-Kentucky, held a community forum in Owensboro on Wednesday, where much of the attention was focused on the Trump Administration’s “Affordable Clean Energy” plan announced the day before.
Members of the community grilled the Republican governor, who shares a similar opinion with the Trump Administration on his in regards to the rolling back of caps on power plant emissions. The move allows states to set carbon emission standards instead of the federal government. Bevin stressed to the crowd how important coal is to create energy.
“Coal will continue to be probably the largest or one of the very largest contributors to the production of electricity. Or we won’t have electricity that we need to keep pace with people’s desire,” he said.
When a member in the crowd asked why coal was continuing to be used as an energy source when there were alternatives, Bevin acknowledged that other sources, such as wind and solar power were around, but that it costs taxpayer money to sustain that as a power source.
“A lot of things that are good in theory, if they can’t sustain themselves without your money subsidizing them, think twice about if that’s what your tax money should be spent on,” he replied.
Bevin went on to defend the use of coal, saying the energy used to power electric cars was from coal.
“Coal, among other things, is producing the electricity that powers those cars up,” he said. “So it’s all connected. And it’s not going away anytime soon.”
The change in policy is being met with fierce push back from environmentalists and Democrats who worry what the roll back in emissions regulations will do to the environment—especially after details in the the report revealed 1,400 premature deaths could result annually from the increase in carbon emissions.
U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Louisville, has vowed to fight the administration every step of the way.
“Replacing the Clean Power Plan with this irresponsible plan is a complete giveaway to large corporate polluters and fossil fuel special interests at the expense of American families. It will compromise our environment and the health and well-being of future generations, which the EPA’s own analysis confirms. I will fight this plan every step of the way, ” he said in a statement.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has praised the administration for their decision.
