WASHINGTON, DC - Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) today introduced H.R. 1582, the Energy Consumers Relief Act, a bill to protect consumers by increasing transparency for major EPA regulations that may drive up energy costs. The legislation will require that before EPA finalizes any new energy-related rules estimated to cost more than $1 billion, the agency must submit a report to Congress detailing certain cost, energy price, and job impacts, and the Secretary of Energy must make certain additional determinations relating to the rule. EPA would be prohibited from finalizing certain rules if the Secretary of Energy determines the rule would cause significant adverse effects to the economy.
“The EPA’s power to regulate is also the power to destroy. In Louisiana, we know that you must be pro-business to be pro-environment and you must be pro-environment to be pro-business. It makes no sense for the EPA to issue burdensome regulations that will hurt our energy economy and cost American families thousands of jobs," said Cassidy. “This bill would mandate the EPA report to Congress on cost, job impacts, and energy price changes before implementing new regulations. It’s time to stop the EPA from hurting job creation and American families."
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) committed to moving the legislation through the committee and to the House floor.
“Dr. Cassidy has introduced commonsense legislation that will protect consumers against higher energy prices by providing greater transparency for EPA’s billion-dollar energy related rules," said Upton and Whitfield. “This bill will promote economic and job growth by assuring that billion-dollar EPA regulations that may drive up energy prices and threaten jobs are subject to a heightened interagency review before they are finalized."
The Energy and Power Subcommittee last week held a hearing on the Energy Consumers Relief Act. Witnesses explained the need for transparency in the rulemaking process and welcomed the legislation, which would ensure a full review of EPA’s largest energy-related rules. They testified that a thorough cost assessment is necessary to ensure EPA’s rules will not have an adverse effect on energy prices and employment.
