Government News

March 11, 2010, Anchorage, Alaska - Governor Sean Parnell joined a bipartisan group of governors urging Congress to stop a plan that would give the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) authority to regulate greenhouse gases.

In a letter to congressional leaders, Governor Parnell joined 19 other governors in expressing concern over an administrative agency implementing regulations that would have a far-reaching, adverse impact on industry and jobs without input from elected officials.

"This proposed rule would do nothing but make energy even more costly for Alaskans," Governor Parnell said. "This type of federal control threatens jobs and economic development opportunities, not only for Alaskans, but all Americans."

In their letter to congressional leadership, the governors wrote:

"We believe that EPA should offer input regarding complex energy and environmental policy initiatives, like reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but feel that these policies are best developed by elected representatives at the state and national level, not by a single federal agency."

A copy of the entire letter is available at: http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell_media/gov_letters/GovernorsLettertoCongress.pdf