A Congressional Review Act joint resolution of disapproval proposed by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and 16 of his Republican colleagues would overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “Good Neighbor Rule,” which the lawmakers say targets American power production and burdens states with strict air regulations.
“The EPA claims that the state of Mississippi is causing emissions problems for Dallas and Houston,” Sen. Wicker said. “This is an entirely unconvincing assertion, which will have severe consequences for development in our area.”
Sen. Wicker on June 8 led more than a dozen GOP original cosponsors to introduce Senate Joint Resolution (S.J.Res.) 31, which would provide for congressional disapproval of the EPA rule entitled “Federal ‘Good Neighbor Plan’ for the 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards,” according to the text of the resolution.
Specifically, S.J.Res. 31 would overturn the EPA’s rule that will place restrictions on state emissions based on a methodology that assigns fault to “upwind” states like Mississippi for other “downwind” state emissions, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Wicker’s staff.
“With its so-called Good Neighbor rule, the EPA has decided to discard years of good-faith efforts by states to address emissions concerns,” said Sen. Wicker. “Overturning these plans by executive fiat is wrong and exceeds the role of the EPA.”
Among the lawmakers who joined Sen. Wicker in introducing the resolution are U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Todd Young (R-IN), and John Hoeven (R-ND).
“I am glad to be joined by so many like-minded colleagues in challenging this rule,” Sen. Wicker said.
Sen. Capito pointed out that the Biden administration continues to wage war on American energy through “job-killing regulation” like the EPA’s Good Neighbor Rule, which she said directly targets the nation’s baseload power generation and manufacturing.
“Not only does this proposal burden 23 states with costly emissions reductions requirements for power plants, it will also impact specific industries such as steel, cement, and pulp and paper for the first time,” said Sen. Capito.
The EPA’s rule falls under provisions of the Clean Air Act and will require regulations related to nitrogen oxide emissions from stationary sources, establish an ozone trading season for fossil fuel plants in 22 states, and set emission limits on certain industrial sources, according to a summary provided by the lawmakers.
U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) is leading a similar resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives.