Some environmental and public-health groups are applauding President Obama’s Clean Power Plan designed to cut carbon dioxide emissions from U-S power plants. But some Arizona politicians say it’ll have a negative economic impact on the state. Arizona Public Radio’s Ryan Heinsius reports.
Arizona Senator John McCain and Congressman Paul Gosar each separately blasted the president’s plan. They say it’ll result in energy-rate hikes on citizens, and make small businesses less able to hire new workers because of cost increases.
The Clean Power Plan is the first-ever national standard for power-plant carbon emissions. It’ll reduce CO2 output by 32 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. The White House says it’s an attempt to combat climate change and cut down on diseases caused by air pollution.
The Arizona chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility praised the plan. The Sierra Club says the president’s move will help mitigate the impacts of wildfire and drought in the Southwest.
