Press Releases

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final rule for surface-level ozone. Senate Western Caucus Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY) and Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) released the following statements:

“Once again, the Obama administration is unleashing a new rule that costs too much while providing very little benefit,” said Senate Western Caucus Chairman John Barrasso. “Wyoming and other states have spoken out against this inflexible and unrealistic approach. They know these regulations will cost billions of dollars, curb energy production, limit manufacturing and smother economic opportunity for middle-class families. Instead of pushing ahead with even stricter standards, EPA should focus on the worst areas of air quality first. This will ensure that we continue to improve air quality without further burdening our rural economies who have the most to lose under this misguided rule.”

“The EPA’s new rule released today is sorely misguided and will punish western communities in particular for naturally occurring emissions and those blown across the Pacific from countries like China,” said Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Cynthia Lummis. “Pristine environments like some of our national parks could be in violation of this rule. This regulation sets up the American people to fail and the costs will be unbearably high.  Instead of putting the cart before the horse, the EPA should focus on getting the country in compliance with existing standards.”

Background:

• Ozone regulations finalized in 2008 set surface-level standards at 75 parts per billion and many counties across the nation are making progress but still have a long way to go to meet these standards. The rule released today sets the level at 70 parts per billion.
• EPA guidance on ways for communities to work to meet the standards set in 2008 came out just this year.

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