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EPSA Commends Six U.S. Senators For Letter To EPA On Dirty Demand Response

Senators Are Recognized As Major Environmental Leaders

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Electric Power Supply Association President and CEO John E. Shelk today issued the following statement in response to yesterday’s letter from six leading United States Senators to EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson urging her to reconsider a pending proposed rule relating to air pollution from backup diesel generators acting as demand response that participate for profit in organized wholesale power markets:

"EPSA commends Senator Lautenberg for leading this effort in which he was joined by Senators Lieberman, Whitehouse, Gillibrand, Cardin and Menendez. EPSA greatly appreciates their timely and thoughtful letter to EPA Administrator Jackson on this important issue. It is significant that each of these U.S. Senators is a recognized leader on environmental issues affecting their states and the country as a whole. In fact, four of the six lawmakers are currently members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works that has jurisdiction over the Clean Air Act, and a fifth is a former member of the committee.

EPSA agrees with the Senators that "If emergency generators wish to participate in electricity markets, they should be required to compete on a level playing field by meeting emissions limits that protect public health." EPSA has filed extensive comments in the pending docket on the proposed rule that is the subject of this letter. EPSA hopes that as the December 14, 2012, deadline for a decision nears that this congressional input will have an impact as EPA carefully addresses the concerns many of us have raised."

The full text of the letter from the six Senators is attached to this press release.

CONTACT: JOHN SHELK
(202) 349-0154or 703-472-8660

EPSA is the national trade association representing competitive power suppliers, including generators and marketers. These suppliers, who account for nearly 40 percent of the installed generating capacity in the United States, provide reliable and competitively priced electricity from environmentally responsible facilities serving global power markets. EPSA seeks to bring the benefits of competition to all power customers.