Rounds Presses EPA on Economic Impact of Regulatory Proposals

WASHINGTON —U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPA) Committee, today had the opportunity to question Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy about the agency’s  process for determining the economic impact when proposing major new rules. In addition, he asked her to clarify EPA’s contradictory statements about the public comments received on the proposed Waters of the U.S. rule. Misleading statements could confuse the public into thinking the proposed rule, which received overwhelmingly negative feedback, was more favorable than EPA portrayed.

“Much of what is coming out of the EPA would impose costly new mandates with little consideration given to the far-reaching effects these rules would have on the average American,” said Rounds. “It’s imperative we hold the agency accountable for its onerous, job-killing agenda by making sure they are using the most current, accurate information available and not skewing the facts in their favor.”

The EPA is required under Executive Order to consider economic affects whenever writing a “major rule.” A 2014 government report found the EPA was using data from 1979-1991 when studying the economic impact of recently finalized major rules. As a result, the regulations the EPA was crafting for the U.S. were finalized with the assumptions that the U.S. economy 20 to 30 years ago was the same as it is today, and involves only four industrial sectors, which is not accurate and does not take into account the transformation the U.S. economy has undergone in the past several decades.