Washington, D.C. — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shouldn’t be passing more regulations until the American people know the damage the current regulations are causing. That was the message of U.S. Senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, both R-Wyo., who cosponsored a bill introduced Wednesday by Senator Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., that would block the EPA from finalizing any new major regulation until the agency analyzes the economic impact of its current air regulations as required by the Clean Air Act.
 
“The EPA under this Administration has a track record of putting politics ahead of the economy and even the environment. It’s time that the EPA answers to the American people for the jobs lost and that we bring a halt to its heavy-handed brand of environmentalism,” said Enzi. 
 
“When Washington proposes a regulation, they need to consider its impact on the environment – and the economy,” said Barrasso. “People in Wyoming deserve to know exactly how EPA regulations will impact jobs in their community. Our bill will force the EPA to look before they leap when it comes to issuing more job-crushing regulations.” 
 
The EPA Employment Impact Analysis Act would show the true cost of the EPA’s regulations. The legislation cites a number of examples where the EPA concluded that a regulation would result in the creation of jobs but the National Economic Research Associates (NERA)  Economic Consulting firm, using a "whole economy" model, reported job losses in the thousands. Below are the following examples:
 
• Utility MACT rule (77 Fed. Reg. 9301): EPA’s analysis of the Utility MACT rule estimated that implementation of the final rule would result in the creation of 46,000 temporary construction jobs and 8,000 net new permanent jobs. NERA’s whole economy analysis found that the rule would have a negative impact on the income of workers in an amount equivalent to 180,000 to 215,00 lost jobs in 2014, and 50,000 to 85,000 lost jobs each year thereafter.
• Cross State Air Pollution rule (76 Fed. Reg. 48208): The EPA’s analysis of the Cross State Air Pollution rule estimated that implementation of the final rule would result in the creation of 700 jobs per year. NERA ‘s whole economy analysis found that the rule would result in the elimination of a total of 34,000 jobs from 2013 to 2037.
• Boiler MACT rule (76 Fed. Reg. 15608): EPA’s analysis of the Boiler MACT rule estimated that implementation of the final rule would result in the creation of 2,200 jobs per year. NERA’s whole economy analysis found that the rule would result in the elimination of 28,000 jobs per year from 2013 to 2037.
 
 
The bill is also cosponsored by 27 additional senators, which include Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), David Vitter (R-La.), Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Dan Coats (R-Ind.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Pat Roberts (R-Kansas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).