The Subcommittee on Energy and Power, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), is currently holding a hearing on H.R. 4775, the Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2016. The hearing continues the subcommittee’s efforts to protect jobs, economic growth, and the public health. The bipartisan bill seeks to offer states the flexibility needed to implement the EPA’s air quality standards on achievable timelines. The legislation was introduced by Energy and Power Subcommittee Vice Chairman Pete Olson (R-TX), committee member Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), House Majority Whip and committee member Steve Scalise (R-LA), committee member Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), and Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX).
A number of state environmental officials are testifying right now, including Mr. Sayed Sadredin who is head of the San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District. Speaking about the committee’s legislation, Sadredin recently told Lois Henry, columnist with Leader McCarthy’s hometown newspaper The Bakersfield Californian, “It does nothing to roll back or stop our progress… It would simply stop the chaos we’re operating under now." Tune in now to watch Sadredin and the other witnesses testify about the bipartisan solution HERE.
April 12, 2016
Lois Henry: Time to take the chaos out of air quality
If you want to glimpse a small bit of rational thought occurring in Congress, tune in to the Energy and Commerce Committee at 7:15 a.m. our time Thursday for a hearing on H.R. 4775, which aims to tweak the Clean Air Act.
Why would you want to be alert that early for something as un-scintillating as a congressional hearing on the Clean Air Act?
Well, air quality is a major deciding factor in whether businesses can locate, expand or even continue operating in the San Joaquin Valley.
And we all breathe…so there’s that.
Anyhow, since the Clean Air Act was created in the 1970s, our air has vastly improved. Yes, even here.
Over the past generation or so, air pollution in the valley has been cut by more than 80 percent even as we’ve continued to grow, according to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
The Clean Air Act has been the catalyst for that success.
So any tweaking, such as proposed in H.R. 4775, will likely be seen by opponents as an attempt to gut the Act.
Not so.
This bill is very narrowly focused on the bureaucracy of the Clean Air Act, which has led to some unforeseen consequences. …
H.R. 4775 would synchronize standards, eliminating overlap.
“It does nothing to roll back or stop our progress," said Seyed Sadredin, head of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, which supports H.R. 4775. “It would simply stop the chaos we’re operating under now." …
Read the full column online HERE. Related Items
* H.R. 4775, Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2016
* Bipartisan Bill Introduced to Allow Cost Effective and Practical Implementation of Ozone Standards
See Also
* #SubEnergyPower Examines Bipartisan Ozone Bill
