. . . Our nation can now move forward and develop smart transparent policies that carry out President Trumps America First energy strategy and relieve the American people of undue burdens.
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. U.S. House Science Space and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) released the following statement today after Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt announced the formal repeal of the Obama administrations Clean Power Plan.
Chairman Smith: Todays repeal of the so-called Clean Power Plan marks the next crucial step in a new era of transparency based on sound science. Through several hearings and oversight of the former administrations overregulation the Science Committee revealed the faulty one-sided calculations that the Obama administration employed to justify its Clean Power Plan. We have repeatedly found that the costs imposed on the American people vastly outweigh the rules marginal benefits. President Trump and Administrator Pruitt have reviewed the data and chosen to unburden our citizens rather than perpetuate a politically motivated rule that would result in minimal environmental benefits. Our nation can now move forward and develop smart transparent policies that carry out President Trumps America First energy strategy and relieve the American people of undue burdens.
Background:
- On April 28 2017 Chairman Smith issued a statement in support of the D.C. Circuit Courts decision to suspend the lawsuit against the Clean Power Plan.
- On March 28 2017 Chairman Smith praised President Trumps American Energy Independence Executive Order that rescinded the Social Cost of Carbon directed EPA to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan and repealed EPAs methane rule.
- On February 28 2017 the Subcommittee on Environment and Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing titled At What Cost? Examining the Social Cost of Carbon to examine the previous administrations use of the Social Cost of Carbon to inflate the benefits of rules such as the Clean Power Plan.
- On February 7 2017 the Science Committee held a hearing titled Making EPA Great Again to hear from experts regarding how the Trump administrations EPA could address issues with the lack of science in agency rulemaking such as in the Clean Power Plan.
- August 2 2016: Chairman Smith: Dear EPA stop acting like a bully and start following the rule of law (Fox News Opinion)
- On June 22 2016 the Science Committee held a hearing titled Ensuring Sound Science at EPA to examine the science behind EPAs regulatory activities including the Clean Power Plan.
- On June 14 2016 House Republican leaders including Chairman Smith rolled out a plan for the economy that addressed how the Republican party can work together to reduce regulatory burdens at EPA and other federal agencies.
- On May 26 2016 the Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing titled Impact of EPAs Clean Power Plan on States.
- April 22 2016: Chairman Smith: President Obamas Climate-Change Agenda Will Cost American Families (National Review Opinion)
- On February 23 2016 Chairman Smith joined more than 200 colleagues in both the House and Senate to file an amicus brief supporting petitions filed by 27 states seeking to overturn the Clean Power Plan.
- On September 11 2015 the Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing titled State Perspectives: How EPAs Power Plan Will Shut Down Power Plants.
- On July 9 2015 the Science Committee held a hearing titled Examining EPAs Regulatory Overreach to receive testimony from former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy on the Obama-era EPAs regulatory agenda.
- On June 24 2015 the Science Committee held a hearing titled U.S. Energy Information Administration Report: Analysis of the Impacts of the EPAs Clean Power Plan to examine the EIAs analysis requested by Chairman Smith of the Clean Power Plans impacts.
- On June 4 2015 the Science Committee held a hearing titled EPA Regulatory Overreach: Impacts on American Competitiveness to examine the Obama-era EPAs lack of scientific and technical justification for regulations including the Clean Power Plan and their impact on American competitiveness.
