Montana Senator Steve Daines held a press conference from his office in Washington on Tuesday, just moments after returning from the EPA headquarters, where President Donald Trump signed the Executive Order halting President Obama's Clean Power Plan.

"Just about an hour ago I was at the EPA headquarters, with President Trump, along with Vice President Pence, Energy Secretary Perry, Secretary Zinke and Minister Pruitt were there, along with 20 coal miners," Daines said. "Today really does mark the start of a new era in American energy production This executive order calls for an immediate reevaluation of the so-called EPA Clean Power Plan. It lifts job-killing restrictions on the production of oil, natural gas, clean coal and shale energy, and also returns power back to the states where it belongs."

Daines said energy security is paramount to both national and economic security.

"In the next 30 to 35 years, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, energy demand is going to increase by 84 percent," said Daines. "A lot of that growth will occur in China and the good news is that America leads the world in fossil fuel resources. Number two is Russia and number three is Saudi Arabia. The world is much safer if America is not just energy independent, but energy dominant."

Daines referenced a study released by the University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research in which over 7,000 jobs would be lost if the EPA's Clean Power Plan were fully implemented.

"That would result in over $145 million lost in tax revenues, and over $500 million of economic activity," he said. "This is critical for our state, particularly as we're staring at budget shortfalls in Helena right now as we look for economic security and prosperity for our state."

Congressional candidate Greg Gianforte also praised Trump's action.

“This is a decisive victory as we continue to fight the War on Coal,” Gianforte said.  “I applaud President Trump’s decision to repeal the EPA’s job-killing energy regulations because it protects Montana jobs and gives Colstrip a fighting chance to keep the lights on. I will always be on Montana’s side fighting back against these excessive regulations that would shut down our coal industry and kill thousands of good-paying Montana jobs."

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