Environmental Protection Agency Holds Public Hearing in Dallas on Greenhouse Gas Regulations

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Tony Kreindler, 202-445-8108, akreindler@edf.org
Sharyn Stein, 202-572-3396, sstein@edf.org

(Washington, D.C. - January 14, 2011) The Environmental Protection Agency held a public hearing today to provide an opportunity for public comment on a rulemaking proposal to adopt the gap-filling greenhouse gas permit protections EPA adopted on December 30th, 2010. On Wednesday, the U.S Court Of Appeals in Washington, D.C. unanimously rejected Texas' attempt to block EPA's emergency measures. The emergency measures will expire and be supplanted by the results of the full public notice and comment rulemaking process that is the subject of Friday's public hearing.

Environmental Defense Fund was represented by Staff Attorney Peter Zalzal at the hearing.

An excerpt from Zalzal's testimony:

"The proposed rule fills a gap that would otherwise exist in Texas, smoothing the transition to a legally compliant permit program. EPA's actions provide Texas businesses with vital regulatory certainty to unleash capital investments and provide Texas citizens with critical health and environmental protections."

Download the full testimony.