Congressional Field Hearing Held Today In Houston On The EPA And Clean Air Act

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Matt Smelser, 512.731.3023, msmelser@edf.org 

(Houston – March 24, 2011) The United State House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Power held a field hearing today on “EPA’s Greenhouse Gas and Clean Air Act Regulations: A Focus on Texas’ Economy, Energy Prices and Jobs.” 

Jim Marston, EDF’s Texas Regional Director and National Energy Program Director testified before the subcommittee.

Here is an excerpt from his written testimony:

“In 1867, Mark Twain wrote, “The most outrageous lies that can be invented will find believers, if a man only tells them with all his might.” Sadly, that is what is going on here. The members of this committee have been fed some Texas-sized whoppers by certain Texas officials.

This Committee has passed legislation that would strip the EPA of its authority to regulate greenhouse gases. Unfortunately, this legislation provides no alternatives for reducing harmful climate-disrupting pollution and is based entirely on misconceptions about EPA’s role in regulating these deleterious pollutants. When it comes to the flexible permitting system and the regulation of greenhouse gases the problem isn’t EPA – it’s Texas.”

Download the full testimony.