The House Energy and Power Subcommittee voted on Friday to force the Obama Administration to study the overall effect of environmental regulations and finish a report by August 2012. The bill – which would create a commission with 11 members that would study the effect of environmental rules on unemployment, gas prices, electricity prices and others – must now move through the House Energy Committee. This is in response to a complaint by House Republicans who say the Environmental Protection Agency hasn’t considered the effects of its regulations that would limit emissions in a variety of industrial facilities.
The bill would pay for the commission with 3.5-million dollars dedicated to federal grants to reduce diesel emissions. Democrats criticized the bill – saying it wouldn’t fully show the impact of the regulations – including Illinois Representative Bobby Rush who says it will emphasize the cost of implementing EPA rules – but not account for all the benefits of the regulations. The House will vote on the bill by August – and if approved – it will head to the Senate.
Source: NAFB News Service
Posted by Haylie Shipp
