(Washington, DC) — Consumer Action for a Strong Economy – the nation’s preeminent free-market consumer advocacy organization, released a statement praising EPA Secretary Scott Pruitt for his decision to repeal the so-called Clean Power Plan (CPP). The CPP is a signature environmental regulation of the Obama Administration that has been highly controversial since its inception due to its astronomical cost, questionable rationale, sweeping impact on the economy and overall legality. CASE President Matthew Kandrach said in a statement:
“On behalf of America’s workers and consumers, we applaud Secretary Pruitt for his bold, sensible and forward-thinking decision to repeal the onerous, unnecessary, costly, job-killing Clean Power Plan. The CPP will be remembered for the dubious distinction of being the cornerstone of President Obama’s promise to make energy prices “necessarily skyrocket.” It is one of the few promises he kept, and one most Americans have come to regret.
“From the very start the CPP was an outrageous and illegal government overreach into the lives of ordinary Americans and state sovereignty, one that put the federal government squarely in the driver’s seat of our national energy policy. It raises energy prices in every state where it applies, hurting working Americans and choking economic opportunity. The CPP was the blueprint for sweeping regulatory power from Washington that centralizes power and centralizes thinking, while killing the innovation that sparks economic growth and prosperity.
“Secretary Pruitt will certainly be savaged by many in the press and in Washington for this decision, but even the champions of the CPP have been forced to admit it will cost our economy billions with negligible to no environmental benefit. From the start the CPP has been nothing but pure environmental ideology masquerading as sound public policy. Secretary Pruitt’s decision is most certainly the right one, and is great news for our economy, great news for the future of American energy, and great news for consumers.”