With the Environmental Protection Agency scheduled to release a new national ambient air quality standard for ozone on Dec. 1, four Democratic Senators took the advice of U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and called for reduced standards.
Reports indicate the standards will be lower than the 2008 standard of 75 parts per billion, which a letter from Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) says “is laden with potential harm to job creation and economic growth in our communities and states.”
“Louisiana’s energy and manufacturing industries are threatened by the Obama administration’s billion dollar regulations,” Cassidy said. “Despite Sen. Landrieu’s support for President Obama’s nominees who put these harmful energy regulations in place, I urged Sen. Landrieu more than 30 days ago to use her position as chair of the Senate Energy Committee to push back on these policies. These policies are hurting Louisiana jobs. Our focus should be on creating and preserving jobs.”
Cassidy and another Louisiana Senator, Republican David Vitter, have been working together to defeat the EPA’s proposed “Waters of the United States” rule that they believe would harm Louisiana families, farmers and infrastructure projects.