Big Energy begs irresponsible Republicans not gut all EPA regulations...that's how bad it's gotten.

Politico: The Trump administration is opening the door to offering its own replacement for former President Barack Obama’s landmark climate regulation — rather than just erasing it altogether.

A mend-it-don’t-end-it approach on Obama’s 2015 rule could appease power companies that say the EPA needs to impose some kind of climate regulation — even if it’s much weaker — to avoid triggering courtroom challenges that would cloud the industry in years of uncertainty. But it would run afoul of demands from some conservative activists, who have pressured EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to reject the idea that climate change is a problem requiring federal action.

Kevin Poloncarz, a lawyer with the firm Paul Hastings who represents energy companies supporting the Clean Power Plan, said if EPA simply rescinded the Clean Power Plan without announcing plans to consider a replacement, power companies could face nuisance lawsuits, so issuing the notice could be a compromise position. While it’s in place, “the industry should feel some degree of comfort that they’re insulated from those lawsuits.”

But where do the coal companies stand on all of this?

Even coal-heavy power companies have said they support EPA issuing a replacement rule. American Electric Power, a Midwestern power company that gets slightly less than half of its electricity from coal, would back a new proposal “consistent with the EPA’s authority under the Clean Air Act,” spokeswoman Tammy Ridout said. 

A former liberal radio talk host who likes to ask the “follow-up question” at Democurmudgeon.blogspot.com