INDIANAPOLIS – Senator Dan Coats (R-Ind.) joined a bipartisan group of 52 senators in sending a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy that requests a 60-day extension of the public comment period for a proposed agency rule on carbon emissions from existing fossil fuel power plants in Indiana and nationwide. In May, Coats and a group of 47 senators requested a 120-day extension.

“The more Hoosiers examine the provisions of the EPA’s far-reaching proposed rule, the more they see that it will restructure our entire electricity sector, kill reliable coal power and raise energy prices,” said Coats. “Once again the president will let appointed bureaucrats create failed policies, rather than let elected members of Congress represent their constituents.”

Last fall, McCarthy embarked on a national listening tour to gather feedback on possible new energy regulations. However, Indiana, which relies on coal for over 80 percent of its energy needs, was absent from her itinerary.

In their letter to McCarthy, the senators write, “This extension is critical to ensure that state regulatory agencies and other stakeholders have adequate time to fully analyze and comment on the proposal. The challenge is not only one of commenting on the complexity and sweeping scope of the rule, but also providing an opportunity to digest more than 600 supporting documents released by EPA in support of this proposal.”

Coats was joined on the letter by Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Mark Begich (D-AK), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Richard Burr (R-NC), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Bob Corker (R-TN), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Dean Heller (R-NV), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Mike Lee (R-UT), Joe Manchin (D-WV), John McCain (R-AZ), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Rand Paul (R-KY), Rob Portman (R-OH), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Jim Risch (R-ID), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Richard Shelby (R-AL), John Thune (R-SD), Pat Toomey (R-PA), David Vitter (R-LA), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Roger Wicker (R-MS).