Kentucky utilities may soon need to comply with tighter air regulations. Republican Senator Rand Paul Thursday failed in his effort to defeat new clean air standards. The Environmental Protection Agency says coal fired power plants in Kentucky and twenty six other states spread particulates that cause asthma and premature deaths. Senator Paul attempted to block the EPA implementation of new clean air standards but his effort was defeated 41 – 56. Six fellow Republicans opposed the measure.Paul says it’s good for the Senate to debate these issues instead of just letting bureaucrats write new environmental regulations.
“I think it was an important debate. I think it’s very important for people to discuss is the environment cleaner now then it was two or three decades ago. All objective evidence shows that the environment is cleaner now than it was three decades ago.”
The fight isn’t over yet. Some other senators are floating proposals that delay the new air standards for at least a year so businesses have more time to comply
