Today, Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) offered an amendment to the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill to prevent the U.S. Forest Service’s draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the National Old-Growth Amendment from being finalized, and to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for particulate matter from going into effect. The amendment was adopted by a voice vote.
Chairman Newhouse’s remarks as prepared below:
“Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment that has dual purpose – to prevent the finalization of the Forest Service’s draft environmental impact statement for the National Old-Growth Amendment, and to prevent the EPA from implementing the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) particulate matter update.
“For those that don’t know, I’m Chairman of the Western Caucus, the second largest Caucus on Capitol Hill. We exist to defend rural and Western America from these kinds of regulatory overreaches.
“The Forest Service is in the process of amending all 128 National Forest system plans at once. I think everyone here can understand that every forest is different and a broad stroke change to all plans is not good governance.
“But the draft environmental impact statement is egregious – 95 of the 128 National Forests would ‘experience notable change’ in management, including the prohibition of timber production as ‘proactive stewardship’ for many of these forests.
“This will lead to overgrown, undermanaged forests that produce hazardous fuels and cause devastating wildfires, further harming our rural communities.
“We must stop the Forest Service from preserving – as opposed to conserving – our federal forests and instead empower states, counties, and tribes to proactively manage our forests.
“The second section of my amendment addresses the NAAQS particulate matter update that EPA finalized in February.
“This would tighten the PM2.5 standard to 9 micrograms per cubic meter, which is substantially lower than the current 12 micrograms per cubic meter standard.
“The United States already boasts air quality that ranks top 20 globally, which further proves that this update is unnecessary.
“This new standard threatens our agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and timber industries, and has the potential to kneecap the economy.
“Before construction is permitted, new projects must use EPA models to show attainment with the NAAQS. If the standard isn’t met, then the project is halted until compliance can be achieved.
“Coupled together, these actions by the Forest Service and EPA will have devastating consequences across Western and rural America.
“I encourage my colleagues to support my amendment which prioritizes our rural communities over those of the extreme environmental lobby, which has continually dictated this Administration’s regulatory agenda. I yield back.”
Read the full text of the amendment here.
Supporting Organizations:
American Chemistry Council, American Stewards of Liberty, the National Mining Association, the American Petroleum Institute, the American Iron and Steel Institute and the American Forest & Paper Association.
Background:
National Old Growth Amendment
- In December, the Forest Service initiated a scoping period to amend all 128 National Forest Service plans at once. In June, the DEIS was released that showed 95 National Forests would “likely to experience notable change” in management.
- Under the preferred alternative in the DEIS, timber production would be prohibited in old-growth forests which will lead to timber mills closing and even more damaging wildfires.
- The Newhouse amendment prevents Forest Service from finalizing the DEIS or issuing a substantially similar EIS. A final EIS is expected later this year.
NAAQS
- In February, EPA finalized the NAAQS standard, lowering particulate matter (PM2.5) from 12 micrograms per cubic meter to 9 micrograms per cubic meter. The Clean Air Act directs EPA to review the standards every five years, but the Biden EPA reconsidered the standards just six months after the previous review was finalized.
- This will have devastating consequences on the agriculture, construction, manufacturing, mining, timber industries and immediate impacts to the economy as a whole.
- The U.S. ranks in the top 20 for air quality and this unnecessary standard update will only harm businesses due to financial penalties if compliance isn’t obtained.
- Following the announcement, Chairman Newhouse, Western Caucus Vice Chair Bruce Westerman (AR-04) and Representative Buddy Carter (GA-01) led a letter demanding the EPA rescind the rule.
- The Newhouse amendment is limitation language that would prevent the updated standard from going into effect.
