Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, supporters of this bill claim that EPA doesn't issue implementation rules and guidance quickly enough after updating a national ambient air quality standard. So this awful piece of legislation concludes that the solution is to sacrifice Americans' health--sacrifice our public health--by allowing facilities to ignore new air quality standards. But, Mr. Chairman, this would only allow these same facilities to pollute more while doing nothing to facilitate faster implementation of new NAAQS. The bill says that EPA must release implementing rules and guidance concurrently with a new standard, meaning, if EPA updates a national ambient air quality standard, that standard does not apply to new or expanding facilities unless and until EPA has issued implementation rules and guidance for the new standard. Mr. Chairman, witnesses have testified that concurrent guidance isn't always practical or even necessary. This provision presumes a problem that does not even exist. The Agency provides a wealth of tools already, Mr. Chairman, to assist States with air permits, and in many cases, States are fully capable of issuing permits without any new guidance from EPA. Mr. Chairman, they have been doing this same thing for decades now. Most guidance evolves after a standard takes effect as States and industry raise questions that require EPA clarification. It is unclear, Mr.…”