Barrasso: “It’s clear we’ve all been repeatedly misled.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) responded to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Inspector General that found that the EPA did not follow their own rules and safeguards when making their finding that carbon dioxide is a pollutant.  The EPA’s determination has led to a mountain of Clean Air Act regulations that could cost over a million American jobs.

“Throughout the past two and a half years, the Environmental Protection Agency has used its ‘endangerment finding’ as a reason to roll out red tape that destroys jobs across America.  EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has regularly assured Congress and the American people that its finding is based on sound scientific practices.

“It’s clear we’ve all been repeatedly misled.  The endangerment finding was based on political expediency – not scientific standards. 

“In fact, the Inspector General reported today that the Agency didn’t even follow its most basic rules.  It didn’t conduct peer reviews and it didn’t follow the required record keeping process. 

“EPA Administrator Jackson should testify immediately before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on this issue.  The American people deserve the truth.”

Background:

EPA’s climate change regulations would cost 1.4 million American jobs.

On June 30th, Senator Barrasso wrote EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson asking:

Barrasso:        Do you believe that the process governing the development and review
of the proposed endangerment finding reflects the Agency’s, and this Administration’s commitments to transparency and scientific integrity, and outlined in your April 23rd and May 9th memos?

Jackson:         Yes, I do.

Barrasso:         How can you ensure that the Agency’s rulemaking will be based on the best available, and most up-to-date scientific data?  What process will you develop to make this happen?

Jackson:         EPA has effective processes in place to ensure that the agency draws upon the most up-to-date and reputable scientific data.  EPA’s processes are strong, credible and effective.

Senator Barrasso wrote a report detailing, among other things, the lack of oversight over EPA regarding the silencing of whistleblowers who raised the issue that EPA was not following their rules. 

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