The Subcommittee on Energy and Power, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, chaired by Rep. Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), have scheduled a joint hearing for Tuesday, June 16 at 10:15 a.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “EPA’s Proposed Ozone Rule: Potential Impacts on Manufacturing."
Members will examine the potential consequences of a revision to EPA’s current National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone on the manufacturing sector. The EPA has proposed to revise the current standard of 75 parts per billion (ppb), which states are only just beginning to implement, to a level between 65-70 ppb - a change which would have impacts across the economy. Next week’s hearing will be the second this month on ozone. This Friday, the Energy and Power Subcommittee will hold a hearing on “EPA’s Proposed Ozone Rule."
“According to a study by the National Association of Manufacturers, this proposed rule could be the costliest ever put forth by the EPA. The potential costs to Kentuckians would be devastating to family budgets, jobs, and the economy. This new regulation is senseless as states and local governments still have not fully implemented the 2008 standard. Yet EPA seems determined to impose this costly revision that could have dire economic consequences for our already fragile economy," said Whitfield.
“While still in an economic recovery, the last thing we should be doing is mandating new policies to hurt job creation and economic growth in exchange for uncertain benefits," said Burgess. “While manufacturers work to implement the 2008 standard, the EPA lends its untimely ‘help,’ requiring changes that will cost jobs rather than create them."
The Majority Memorandum, a witness list, and witness testimony will be available here as they are posted.
