Murkowski: EPA Continues to Avoid the Tough Questions
Agency Answers Just 2 of 13 Questions
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today requested a meeting with EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to clarify the impacts that EPA regulation of greenhouse gases will have on the nation's economy.
Sen. Murkowski sent Admin. Jackson a letter March 5th with 13 questions on EPA's efforts to expand the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases. Admin. Jackson did not respond until March 26th, and then only answered two of the senator's 13 questions. EPA's formal announcement today of their phased-in approach to climate regulations also fails to provide details on the scope and costs of regulations beyond 2011.
"It remains incumbent upon EPA to provide Congress with sufficient information on how the agency plans to interpret and implement the Clean Air Act," Murkowski said.
Sen. Murkowski has repeatedly asked EPA to provide analysis on the potential economic impacts of climate regulations, and is troubled by the agency's apparent failure to conduct such analysis - and share it with elected members of Congress - before charging ahead with regulation.
Despite EPA's claim that it is developing a "clear process" to regulate greenhouse gases, the agency has refused to answer even the most basic questions about how many stationary sources will be regulated, when those sources will be regulated, what technologies will be mandated for compliance, and how much the regulations will cost.
"At this point, it does not seem probable that additional correspondence will elicit a sufficient level of detail for me and other members of Congress to understand what your agency is preparing to do," Murkowski wrote to Jackson today. "Regrettably, your letter fails to shed any new light on how your agency intends to implement its pending Clean Air Act regulations."
Copies of the letters between Sen. Murkowski and EPA Administrator Jackson are attached.
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