It is time to wish the Environmental Protection Agency happy birthday. This massive bureaucracy is 45 years old on December 2. Having grown from a baby to a toddler to a massive adult the agencies first year budget was $1,003,984,000 and has grown to $8,139,887,000 in 2014.
So what do they do with all your hard earned dollars? Here are just a couple of examples. They employ 1020 lawyers who are there to make sure we are all in compliance with the policies of the EPA. They give 72 billion dollars out for grants to promote their policies. This is a clear violation of the Federal Anti-Lobbying Act, but in today’s world that doesn’t matter. Grants are given out to environmentalist’s who promote EPA policies.
This includes solar energy as well as wind. Both forms of energy are interesting, but can hardly, with today’s technology, support a city. So it is apparent we will still need to rely on getting the bulk of our electricity from Nevada Energy or as in the case of Mesquite, Overton Power.
The EPA is being sued by 24 states who believe the over-reach of the EPA’s “Clean Air Power Plan” is illegal. Nevada’s Attorney General Adam Laxalt has not joined with the 24 other AG’s to fight the over-reach of the EPA.
Climate change theory has as many detractors as it has proponents. What used to be called “Global Warming” was changed to “Climate Change” after it was exposed many scientists had changed information on global warming because it did not fit the agenda of the left and the scientists themselves were being funded to come up with a preconceived outcome. Why would they do this? Because they are funded in grants to Universities etc. that your tax dollars pay for.
An entire new OpEd could be written on “Climate Change, Corruption and Cronyism”, but I digress.
It would be in the best interest of the people of Nevada for Attorney General Laxalt to join the other 24 AG’s to fight the EPA over-stepping their jurisdiction.
The Clean Air Power Plan will hurt the state’s economy, discourage growth and trickle down to the poor who do not have the revenue to pay higher energy bills.
Casinos are the driving force behind the economy in Nevada. We do have manufacturing and other businesses that use large amounts of energy, but without the casino industry Nevada would be just another western state with low population. The casino industry attracts tourists and tourists bring money to the state.
Right now the casino industry purchases their energy from Nevada Power. Wynn Resorts reports they could save up to $7 million a year by purchasing power from other providers, this according to an article in the Review Journal written by James Taylor, Senior Fellow of the Heartland Institute. The casino industry would like to have a choice in who they buy their power from and how much will be from coal generated plants, wind and solar. But if they opt out of using Nevada Energy they will be assessed a penalty. To change providers, the Nevada Public Utilities Commission says that just the MGM, Sands and Wynn casinos will have to pay a penalty of 121 million to compensate Nevada Energy. Which by the way is owned by Warren Buffett.
Let’s see…where do we start? You say that the EPA gives out $72 BILLION in grants to promote their policies? That is a pretty darn good trick when the annual budget is only $8 Billion? And how dare the ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency fund any “environmentalists”. What the heck – you’d think they had something to do with the environment!
I also get really tired of claims from the TEA PARTY right about things that are a “clear violation of the Federal Anti-Lobbying Act” or the blah blah blah. In a country of laws we have COURTS that decide on what is legal or not. You, or the Bundy’s saying something is illegal just doesn’t make it so!
BTW – NV Energy was acquired by Iowa-based MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Corporation of which Buffett is Chairman. Berkshire Hathaway is the 5th largest publicly owned company in the world with HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of shareholders.
Talk to the residents of Flint MI and then tell us there is no need for the EPA.
Your so right, the EPA and the IRS should be abolished they answer to no one.
Journalism 101: “News” and “editorials” are two entirely separate beasts. MLN routinely has difficulty distinguishing between the two so please allow me to help. This piece is not news.
Don’t you ever have anything good to say Connie?
First, let’s be clear: if there was no EPA, this country would look like the surface of Mars with unscrupulous businesses drilling, blasting, cutting, an mining everything in sight. Second, the grants go for small business grants, health grants, research fellowships, water safety and safer chemical research just to name a few.
You don’t think the casinos should have the right to buy power where ever they want? Wrong again. Most large enterprises are going solar because it is cheaper for them. You saw what the Nevada PUC did to those businesses, the PUC said no to solar and put 1500 Nevadans out of work. The PUC destroyed an whole industry in Nevada and AG Laxalt didn’t say anthing. How about you, Connie, stand up for the people and tell Laxalt that you and he should take on the immediate crisis right here in our backyard of people losing their jobs because of PUC overreach. Yours is the same old story, complain about the federal government but ignore the abuses right here at home.
Better stay at home Connie, your political career is a broken record.
Donald Trump is right! He said we need to get rid of these stupid, inept, uneducated losers (like Connie Foust) who keep trying to get into government even though they don’t have one single original idea and just follow the herd. As soon as people like Foust start talking, I want to throw up.