RICHMOND, VA – Delegate Will Morefield (R-North Tazewell) has introduced House Bill 1357, a bill that would prohibit restriction of carbon dioxide emissions.
“HB 1357 is a bill created to protect the coal industry and coal jobs,” Morefield said. “With increasing environmental regulation on both the state and federal level, HB 1357 would deem it unconstitutional to regulate CO2 emmissions.”
During his campaign, Delegate Morefield pledged to introduce legislation that would not allow any federal law or regulation to take effect in the Commonwealth that would restrict carbon dioxide emissions.
“In essence, HB 1357 is in direct opposition to the federal cap-and-trade legislation,” Morefield added.
Delegate Morefield continues to express his disappointment in the continuing rate increases from Appalachian Electric Power. Morefield has raised the point that if the federal cap-and-trade legislation, which is currently before the United State Senate, would cause power rates to increase substantially more.
Morefield stated, “With high utility rates already in place, working men and women of Southwest Virginia cannot afford any additional increases in utility rates. More environmental regulations, especially those that restrict our coal industry, strictly mean higher utility rates. HB 1357 would ease environmental regulations.”
Many members of the House of Delegates and State Senate have already expressed their support for this legislation, including Senator Phillip Puckett (D-Lebanon), who has signed on as a co-sponsor.
