PSE&G`s Codey Asks for Strong Emissions Law
Lawrence R. Codey, Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) president and CEO, testified on May 20 on emission standards before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Energy and Power. He said the Congress can help achieve the economic benefits of lower energy costs while improving the nation's air quality by including provisions for uniform power-plant emissions standards and environmental-disclosure rules in national electric industry restructuring legislation.
Codey called for:
capping power-plant nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions through inclusion of output-based, fuel-neutral generation performance standards in comprehensive federal electric restructuring legislation;
strong environmental disclosure provisions so consumers can equate the price of electricity with accurate information about generation-fuel and emissions content; and
maintaining the U.S. EPA's regulatory focus on reducing power-plant nitrogen oxide emissions in the eastern half of the U.S., which, he said, would not affect electric-system reliability.
Codey said the need for federal legislation incorporating environmental safeguards was underscored by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia decision on May 14 to vacate EPA's implementation of new National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone and fine particulate pollution.
Contact: Public Service Electric and Gas Company, Roger Schwarz. Tel: 202-408-0800