WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) today welcomed Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson’s response to their March 5, 2009 letter seeking information on EPA’s review of pending Bush Administration regulatory actions.  While Administrator Jackson’s letter provided helpful information, it also suggested that the agency may seek a much wider ranging review of regulations promulgated over the last 8 years.  Both Inhofe and Barrasso vowed to monitor any such review, and urged Administrator Jackson to conduct it with openness and transparency, and allow for ample public input.  

Senator Inhofe: “I am pleased that EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson responded in a timely fashion to the inquiry by me and Sen. Barrasso on the agency’s review of pending Bush Administration regulatory actions. Administrator Jackson’s response provided useful information for the EPW committee about specific actions taken by the new Administration.   According to the response, however, it seems clear that EPA could conduct a more wide-ranging review of previous regulatory decisions, including, presumably, those stretching back to 2001.  Therefore, it is my hope that this process will be conducted in an open, transparent manner, with adequate opportunities for public participation, which is a policy that President Obama has repeatedly promised to deliver.  As ranking member of the Senate EPW committee, I will continue to monitor the agency to ensure that attempts to overturn or revisit previous regulatory decisions are made according to President Obama’s policy of openness and transparency.”   

Senator Barrasso: “I appreciate the timely response by EPA Administrator Jackson.  It is clear that the Administration is taking a more wide-ranging review of the previous Administrations’ regulatory decisions than previously disclosed.  Folks in the West, whose livelihoods are so impacted by these closed doors, bureaucratic decisions in Washington, will expect these reviews to be transparent and based on sound science.  I pledge to work to ensure that happens.”