Gripes over EPA in responses to Darrell Issa

EPA rules dominated the responses that House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa released Monday from more than 160 companies, industry trade associations and conservative think tanks asked about whether regulations harm jobs. More than 100 responses mention EPA rules, including those controlling greenhouse gas emissions. But also mentioned were a range of other agency rules covering air toxic controls for industrial boilers, Clean Water Act pesticide permits, dust regulation, mountaintop mining, Chesapeake Bay pollution and ground-level ozone, or smog. Thirty respondents targeted EPA's so-called "tailoring rule" targeting large emitters of greenhouse gas emissions, such as power plants and refiners. Twenty-three respondents referred to EPA's overall ability to target greenhouse gas emissions, including from tailpipes. Another 23 targeted EPA's proposed rules for smog; 20 mentioned EPA lead restrictions; eight targeted EPA nitrogen oxide controls and six went after EPA sulfur dioxide regulations. The American Farm Bureau Federation’s Jan. 10 response read: “Unfortunately, the list of recent Federal regulatory actions that have had or may have a negative economic impact on the agriculture sector is long.” Among its grievances, the farm bureau mentions instances in which EPA has used unilateral settlement agreements with environmental organizations to achieve policy ends outside the normal rule-making process. “This is a serious matter that deserves the committee’s scrutiny and we would urge that you share your findings with the House Judiciary Committee,” wrote the group’s president, Bob Stallman...more