Press Release

December 22, 2011
CARDIN SAYS NATION’S ENERGY SUPPLIERS NEED TO CATCH UP TO MARYLAND, APPLAUDS NEW EPA RULES

WASHINGTON — Sen. Ben Cardin says new federal power plant regulations are supported by Maryland energy suppliers and it’s time the rest of the nation’s energy producers catch up.

The new EPA rule is estimated to cost the industry $9.6 billion and was released despite intense opposition from Republicans, who said it would threaten jobs and electric reliability while raising power prices. Cardin says Maryland’s legislature and former Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich passed the East Coast’s strongest clean air law in 2006 and since then the state’s power suppliers have complied with the law, creating thousands of jobs.

The Baltimore Democrat says Constellation Energy has invested $885 million in its Brandon Shores power plant, creating more than 1,300 jobs during installation of pollution control equipment and reducing mercury emissions 90 percent.

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