Barton hits EPA on Clear Air rule costs

The letter — accompanied by a detailed chart of pending and final rules — notes that at least eight of them have estimated compliance costs of above $1 billion. It cites rules such as proposed ozone standards, final vehicle greenhouse gas standards and proposed rules to limit power plant emissions of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide, among others.

“We are concerned about the highly accelerated pace at which EPA is issuing complex and expensive regulatory proposals,” states the letter, which questions whether businesses will be able to absorb thousands of pages of proposals and the “workability” of the measures.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson recently said opponents of Clean Air Act rules have long warned of “doomsday” scenarios, when in fact the benefits of programs under the statute have far outweighed the costs.