This Letter to the Editor was published in the Akron Beacon Journal.

Mayor Dan Horrigan’s recent op-ed highlighted how bottom-up solutions to environmental problems prepared by local communities are better suited for addressing issues than top-down mandates from the federal government. He’s correct.

Unfortunately, the U.S. EPA has a long history of crafting rules and regulations that put their desired outcomes above the needs of local communities and often discount local knowledge and expertise.

For example, the EPA is considering a new rule regulating emissions from existing power plants. These new restrictions will force power plants to close and saddle Americans with higher electricity bills. And because the rule focuses specifically on coal plants, Eastern Ohio and other Appalachian communities that rely on coal for jobs and power will be gutted.

One size does not fit all when tailoring environmental and energy regulations. Each rule must be custom fit, considering regional factors and how the community will be impacted.

Trevor Lewis, The Buckeye Institute