View Document as PDF
William Yeatman • August 2, 2016
Congress designed the Clean Air Act to act like a ratchet that, over time, will effectively squeeze all unduly harmful pollution out of the economy. Under the Act, stationary sources of air pollution—any fixed emitter of air pollutants, such as power plants, refineries, or factories—are subject to a handful of major regulations that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to review and, if necessary, update periodically. In this manner, the Act’s mandates become ever more stringent..... The EPA’s woeful performance in meeting its deadlines also creates the opportunity for sue-and-settle lawsuits that empower ideological environmental activists to set agency policy. Finally, the agency’s lack of timeliness in meeting its Clean Air Act responsibilities to review State Implementation Plans has forced states to chase moving compliance targets......Congress also can rein in the EPA through the setting of budget priorities. If the agency refuses to make a priority of its statutory duties, then Congress should force the EPA’s hand through the power of the purse. Lawmakers should attach conditions to EPA appropriations that clearly require the agency to
complete its non-discretionary responsibilities under the Clean Air Act, and not allow the agency to freelance......To Read More....
Congress designed the Clean Air Act to act like a ratchet that, over time, will effectively squeeze all unduly harmful pollution out of the economy. Under the Act, stationary sources of air pollution—any fixed emitter of air pollutants, such as power plants, refineries, or factories—are subject to a handful of major regulations that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to review and, if necessary, update periodically. In this manner, the Act’s mandates become ever more stringent..... The EPA’s woeful performance in meeting its deadlines also creates the opportunity for sue-and-settle lawsuits that empower ideological environmental activists to set agency policy. Finally, the agency’s lack of timeliness in meeting its Clean Air Act responsibilities to review State Implementation Plans has forced states to chase moving compliance targets......Congress also can rein in the EPA through the setting of budget priorities. If the agency refuses to make a priority of its statutory duties, then Congress should force the EPA’s hand through the power of the purse. Lawmakers should attach conditions to EPA appropriations that clearly require the agency to
complete its non-discretionary responsibilities under the Clean Air Act, and not allow the agency to freelance......To Read More....
No comments:
Post a Comment