"Democrats Rebut McConnell’s Message to States on EPA"

"A group of Democratic caucus members in the Senate has asked governors to consider the views of other Kentuckians before taking Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s advice on implementing the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan.

The Kentucky Republican has espoused the view that states should consider avoiding developing their own plans for implementing the power standards. But the five senators behind Tuesday’s open letter to the governors point out that the Democratic leadership in McConnell’s home state is moving forward with its own EPA plan.

“Kentucky is already crafting its plan for complying with the Clean Power Plan,” the senators, led by Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, wrote. “The Commonwealth of Kentucky’s decision to work with the EPA and prepare a plan was based, according to the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, on what ‘the overwhelming majority of our stakeholders are telling us.'”

Joining Whitehouse on Tuesday’s letter were Democrats Barbara Boxer of California, Al Franken of Minnesota and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, as well as Bernard Sanders, an independent from Vermont."

Niels Lesniewski reports for Roll Call April 14, 2015.