Blue Ridge reacts to EPA announcement

“A little bit fuzzy” is the way the Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative spokesman is describing the potential effect on South Carolina from a plan at the federal level to cut carbon emission from the power sector by 30%. Blue Ridge’s Terry Ballenger spoke to 96.3/WGOG NEWS today after hearing Gina McCarthy, the EPA director, announce, “Climate change, fueled by carbon pollution, supercharges risks to our health, our economy, and our way of life. EPA is delivering on a vital piece of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan by proposing a Clean Power Plan that will cut our harmful carbon pollution from our largest source—power plants.” But on the pocketbook issue, Ballenger says Blue Ridge and other electric cooperatives are worried about the potential for retail rates to increase by more than 50%. “Our state is so dependent on coal for power-generated fuel,” he said