Alaska Remote Generator Reliability and Protection Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to S. 1934, which would roll back public health standards under the Clean Air Act for dirty diesel generating units in remote areas of Alaska.

This legislation would undermine protections for human health, protections for the environment, and protections for our climate.

Adding insult to injury, this bill is being brought up under suspension of the rules at the last minute, over the objections of Democrats.

The Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has jurisdiction over the Clean Air Act and where I serve as the Environment Subcommittee ranking member, held no hearings on this subject nor considered any legislation relating to this matter.

EPA already gives special considerations for diesel generators in remote areas of Alaska. These special considerations allow remote areas to use stationary diesel generators that are certified to marine engine standards rather than more stringent land-based, nonroad engines.

However, all diesel generators in these areas that are model year 2014 or later, and not for emergency use, must be certified to meet EPA's tier 4 emission standards. If they cannot meet tier 4 standards, then they must meet certain alternative requirements for particulate matter or install an emission control device that reduces PM emissions.

S. 1934 directs the EPA Administrator to revise downward the existing New Source Performance Standards for diesel generators, so that these units would have to meet only EPA's tier 3 standards rather than the more protective tier 4 criteria.

Certainly, it is legitimate for Congress to consider assisting these remote areas with unique power needs and pollution problems. However, we should be looking to help these areas obtain cleaner, healthier air, not rolling back standards and pretending that the pollution and associated health and environmental problems don't exist.

Further, I note that the bill directs the EPA, in consultation with the Department of Energy, to submit a report assessing options for the Federal Government to meet the energy needs of remote areas in the State of Alaska in an affordable and reliable manner while addressing air emissions. That study is the right first step, and I would be happy to support it and then work with my colleagues to find ways to help these areas, based on the results of that particular study.

Unfortunately, this bill takes the backward approach of rolling back standards and then studying the problem. Perhaps if our Republican colleagues had come to us sooner than this week, we might have been able to find a way to come together on legislation.

Unfortunately, Republicans have chosen to take this up without consultation, at the last minute, over our objections. They have left us no option other than to fight. I wish it were otherwise.

For the past 2 years, the Trump administration has engaged in a consistent effort to undermine the Clean Air Act and its protections for everything from mercury and hazardous air pollutants to smog and particulate matter.

We have seen the Trump administration walk away from the Paris climate agreement, undo the Clean Power Plan, and gut fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards for motor vehicles. We must continue to stand firm against these actions that endanger public health, our continued economic well-being, and most certainly our planet.

Mr. Speaker, with that, I urge my colleagues to stand up for our public health, for our climate, and against those continued rollbacks of our Nation's most successful environmental statute, the Clean Air Act.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote a strong ``no'' on S.

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Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I respect and I share the gentleman's concern for the people of Alaska. I am talking about a bill that is drafted incorrectly. While it may be specific to Alaska, it is not specific to remote areas.

So we can share compassion for the people. I am just saying, if we had done this in regular order and exchanged dialogue with one another, perhaps the outcome would have been stronger.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, to Karen, from this side of the aisle, I wish her well, too. It was enjoyable working with her, and I look forward to working with the Members of the other side of the aisle in the 116th Congress on this issue and others.

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, so I will close saying that I am concerned about the loosely defined language in this bill. I am concerned about the attacks on the Clean Air Act that are so important to all Americans.

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Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, on that, I demand the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

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