Dingell Calls for Public Input On New Source Review Proposals

Washington, D.C. – Congressman John D. Dingell, Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, expressed today his deep dismay at the Bush Administration’s recent announcement regarding New Source Review (NSR).

"Given that reform of NSR has been under consideration for nearly a decade, there is no need to rush to judgment on NSR without hearing from everyone with a stake in the process. Yet that is exactly what this Administration proposes to do. Clean air policy that is considered and finalized in secret is an affront to the democratic process and to the careful balance Congress has already reached in the Clean Air Act.

"The Administration proposes to move forward with an NSR reform package that few, if any, outsiders have seen. Without more details, we cannot fairly judge the full effect of these proposals; however, nothing that we have seen allays our concern that the ultimate effect of these changes may be environmentally detrimental. I am not opposed to changes that enhance the clarity of these rules, so long as everyone has a chance to examine them in detail and as long as the net result will be an improvement in air quality.

"I urge the Bush Administration to release its specific, detailed proposals in a public fashion that allows for timely and meaningful comment by all interested parties. There is still time for it to do so."

On February 11, 2002, Congressman Dingell wrote to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) noting that NSR Reform had been a controversial issue for several years and urging EPA to conduct an open and public process that would not result in negative air quality impacts. Congressman Dingell did not rule out the possibility of positive change in this area, but did insist that such changes "be designed with basic principles of fairness and transparency in mind, so that relevant legal obligations are clear [and] evident to all parties." Congressman Dingell (along with Congressmen Doyle and Boucher) also wrote to EPA on October 12, 2001, regarding the New Source Review issue.

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