Stringent environmental regulations threaten to unleash an energy crisis. A disaster stemming from high fuel prices and depleting stockpiles was barely averted last year, and new estimates make America’s energy outlook even bleaker. The Institute for Energy Research says that new and existing EPA regulations will culminate into a far higher number of coal plant closures than initially suggested. “The amount of coal-fired power capacity slated to shut down due to federal environmental regulations has more than doubled since 2011,” reports The Daily Caller. The rules “will force 72.7 gigawatts [up from the previous estimate of 29 gigawatts] of power capacity to shutter across 37 states in the coming years. This figure includes power capacity already taken offline as a result of the rules.. … IER’s analysis shows that EPA rules are shuttering enough power generating capacity to 44.7 millions homes, enough to power every home in every state west of the Mississippi except for Texas.” That should send a chill down everyone’s spine. More…