On the recordJuly 7, 2015
I probably live in the most regulated air quality area in the United States, southern California. In southern California, our population continues to grow; yet we have been able to make significant air quality improvements within the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The committee set a level at 85 percent of the communities so that the marginal nonattainment communities could have the opportunity to achieve compliance with the 2008 standards before further updates are considered. This amendment would prevent EPA from lowering the ozone standard below the 2008 levels. This amendment would prevent further updates to the ozone standard for an indefinite and undetermined timeframe, and that is certainly not the committee's intent. We need to make progress in clean air in areas that folks want to see cleaner air, but at the same time making sure that technology is there in order to do that. This was, I think, compromise language that the underlying bill has that works to move us forward, but at the same time not stopping us from obtaining cleaner air in the future. I am in opposition to this amendment. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me. Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
