Jim Inhofe: “We have had an amendment and actually have had a bill to address a problem that many of us are concerned with having to…”

“We have had an amendment and actually have had a bill to address a problem that many of us are concerned with having to do with a change that was proposed by the Administrator of the EPA in November 2 years ago. This made dramatic changes in the standards for particulate matter and for ozone. We held extensive hearings. As chairman of the Clean Air Subcommittee, we had seven hearings on this bill. It has become very controversial. The Administrator of the EPA has set the standards. After having gone through the process of the hearings and the process of the comment periods, it is now set. However, in the memorandum of implementation by the President, we have a time guideline for the implementation of these standards. Let me repeat that. The standards are set in both particulate matter and in ozone but not yet implemented. The implementation period provides for certain periods of time for establishing a PM monitoring network for collecting data for Governors to recommend areas of designation for the EPA to designate new nonattainment areas, and then for the States to submit State implementation plans. That would be true on both ozone and particulate matter. What we are attempting to do with this bill is to take these guidelines to make sure that they are in order and that everyone has ample time to carry out what has to be done in order to implement these standards. That would require a period of time.…”