Cassidy Denounces EPA Ozone Regulations

Press Release

Today, Congressman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) denounced the Obama Administration for issuing new EPA regulations that would lower the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone in the U.S. from 75 parts per billion to 65 to 70 parts per billion (ppb).

Dr. Cassidy has been opposed to lowering this standard. It is said to be the most expensive regulation ever and will hurt Louisiana's energy and manufacturing industries. A study by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) estimated that significantly lowering the ozone NAAQS could reduce U.S. Gross Domestic Product by $270 billion per year and carry a compliance price tag of $2.2 trillion from 2017 to 2040, increasing energy costs and placing millions of jobs at risk.

For Louisiana alone, stricter ozone NAAQS could result in a loss of $53 billion in gross state product from 2017 to 2040, 117,000 lost jobs and cause $189 billion in total compliance costs.

Dr. Cassidy released the following statement:

"This is said to be the most costly and expansive regulation for Louisiana's energy and manufacturing industries. Louisiana workers are the ones who will feel these costs. More than 100,000 jobs will be threatened. Families' gas and grocery bills could increase. Despite this, President Obama doesn't seem to care. I oppose these regulations. We should be rolling out the red carpet for these energy jobs, not the red tape."

Dr. Cassidy introduced and the House of Representatives passed the Energy Consumers Relief Act. This would help protect Americans from new billion-dollar EPA regulations that could increase energy prices and destroy jobs. It would ensure that there is greater transparency, and oversight of EPA's expensive energy rules. Specifically, the legislation directs the EPA to submit a report to Congress detailing certain cost, benefit, energy price, and job impacts of any energy-related rule costing more than $1 billion. It would also prohibit EPA from finalizing a rule if the rule would cause significant adverse effects to the economy.

On October 6, 2014, Dr. Cassidy and Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) urged Senator Mary Landrieu, Chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, to push back on the standards that will cause harm to Louisiana's energy and manufacturing industries.

Republican members of the Subcommittee on Energy and Power also urged the EPA to include the underlying costs associated with meeting the existing standard.

Dr. Cassidy joined Senator David Vitter at three Senate Environmental and Public Works (EPW) committee field briefings in Louisiana. The briefings focused on the potential impacts of proposed EPA ozone regulations. Specifically discussed in New Orleans was the EPA's proposed "Waters of the United States Rule" and how it could harm Louisiana families, farmers and infrastructure projects.

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