Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson joined a bipartisan group of Representatives in cosponsoring legislation to prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the authority of the Clean Air Act.  H.R. 4572 was introduced by Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO), Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN).  In December EPA released a finding that greenhouse gas is an endangerment to human health under the Clean Air Act, which gives EPA broad authority to regulate emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in spite of the fact that Congress has yet to pass climate change legislation. 

“The EPA’s recent decision was a shot across Congress’s bow, telling us that if we don’t act quickly to pass sweeping, controversial climate change legislation, the EPA is going to do it for us,” Simpson said.  “Unelected bureaucrats at EPA should not be allowed to circumvent the legislative process or override the will of the American people.  It’s clear that we need to take action through H.R. 4572 to prevent them from doing so.”

H.R. 4572 would amend the Clean Air Act to clarify that it does not allow for regulation of greenhouse gases on the basis of global climate change.  It would also prevent EPA from following through with additional regulations proposed last year to use calculations of indirect land use changes associated with the production of biofuels in determining renewable fuels policy.  Such regulations would disqualify ethanol and other biofuels from the renewable fuels standard, severely limiting our ability to address the energy crisis facing this nation.

“Over the past year, I’ve heard from farmers, ranchers, and employers all over the state who are deeply concerned about current efforts to push through sweeping environmental policy reforms without regard for the impact they are having on the economy and job creation,” said Simpson.  “We must work to develop real solutions to our nation’s energy and environmental challenges, and I believe that H.R. 4572 is a good first step.”