BOHICA! Electric Bills Up, Up, and Away!!!

Hey, what's several hundred million between friends?

Another Friday-afternoon news release from the Democrats.

It looks all but certain Wisconsin will get its toughest mercury rules yet, promising a cleaner environment -- and bigger electric bills.

The Legislature's rules committee has until Monday to call a hearing on the standards, but the panel's Democratic co-chairman has said he won't do it. Barring any last-second surprises, the standards should clear the Legislature at the end of the day and go into effect by the end of the year.

Yah. In this "democracy," there's no actual vote--just rule-making and "approve-by-default" in the legislature.

Republicans and their allies complain power companies will spend hundreds of millions of dollars to comply and shift that burden onto customers. But supporters, including Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, say the package will result in a cleaner, healthier environment.

It's understandable that DarthDoyle wants to clean his gaseous emissions from the atmosphere...

The DNR adopted rules four years ago requiring major utilities to cut mercury emissions by 75 percent by 2015. Doyle stepped that up during his 2006 re-election campaign, ordering the agency to raise the standard to 90 percent by 2018

...The department estimates utilities will have to spend $38 million to $91 million annually to comply, depending on whether they choose the cheaper multi-pollutant approach. That would amount to an additional $5 to $12 per year for the average household, according to the department

If you believe DNR's estimates, you also believe that Sasquatch exists, 9/11 was an inside job, and the Feds killed 5,000 prisoners during Katrina.

Also note: DNR never tells you what their Grand Plans will cost industry; nor do they mention what this might cost municipalities. (Hint: The City of Milwaukee is WE's single largest customer...)

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state's largest business group, complained the DNR's cost estimates were too low and utilities actually would have to spend much more to comply.

Charlie Higley, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board, which advocates for utility customers, said the rules are "the right thing to do." They will be expensive, but Wisconsin residents could save on mercury-related health care costs, Higley said

Higley said that while providing ZERO examples of "mercury-related health costs...." There's a reason for that...

Here's the best line in the story:

Technology to get to 90 percent mercury reduction isn't ready yet, but the company hopes it will evolve by the time the deadlines roll around, Manthey said.

"We're fine with the rule," he said

Let me get this straight: the technology does not yet exist, but DNR can tell us what it will cost?

Remember that DarthDoyle's EnviroWacky Commission forced WEnergies to "shut up" about asinine plans to purify the entire Earth?

That's what Manthey's doing. Shutting up. Rolling over.

This blogger refers to our Governor as "DarthDoyle" for two reasons: 1) he's just fine with any kind of abortion, any time, no-holds-barred. 2) In line with that, he's aborting the State's economy.

Still wondering why Briggs & Stratton is abandoning Wisconsin? Why GM closed Janesville, instead of re-tooling? Why your property taxes go up every year?