Contact: Matt Dempsey Matt_Dempsey@epw.senate.gov (202)224-9797 - Inhofe

Garrette Silverman  Garrette_Silverman@voinovich.senate.gov (202)224-7784 - Voinovich

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today joined Senator George Voinovich (R-OH), to announce their intention to introduce legislation that would provide EPA with narrowly tailored authority to implement CAIR, or its replacement, to provide the ability of states to protect human health and the environment. The announcement came today during an EPW Committee hearing titled,  EPA’s Clean Air Interstate Rule and Clean Air Mercury Rule: 1 Year Later.

Senator Inhofe: “In the coming days I will be joining with my colleague Senator Voinovich to introduce legislation that would provide EPA with narrowly tailored authority to implement CAIR, or its replacement.  It’s clear we need to act now.  While I would prefer comprehensive legislation to address power plant pollution, such a course in the near term is not politically feasible.  So in the interim, let’s provide EPA with the legal authority it needs to reconstruct CAIR.  That will bring progress in installing pollution control equipment, certainty in emissions markets, and substantial environmental and public health benefits.”

Senator Voinovich: “Now that the rules have been vacated, there is no comprehensive and cost effective policy to address air quality compliance, untangle the complicated web of redundant regulations, and protect public health. This situation is precisely what I feared and is why Sen. Inhofe and I worked so hard to move the Clear Skies Act, which would have at least locked into law the emission reduction requirements that have now been invalidated. It is incumbent upon Congress to fix this uncertain and chaotic situation by passing our bill to allow EPA to move forward with a replacement to CAIR so certainty can be restored to the emissions markets.”   

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