WASHINGTON - Pushing back at critics of the Obama's administration environmental polices, newly sworn-in Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy said cracking down on pollution linked to global warming will save lives and lead to economic growth. It was a rebuke of Republicans in Congress, including members of the Louisiana delegation, who contend over-zealous regulation by EPA is crippling...
WASHINGTON - Pushing back at critics of the Obama's administration environmental polices, newly sworn-in Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy said cracking down on pollution linked to global warming will save lives and lead to economic growth.
It was a rebuke of Republicans in Congress, including members of the Louisiana delegation, who contend over-zealous regulation by EPA is crippling job growth.
McCarthy's speech at Harvard University Law School was the start of a busy week with environmental issues taking center stage.
On Wednesday, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will consider a chemical safety bill drafted by Sens. David Vitter, R-La., and the late Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J.
A bill, approved by a House Appropriations committee and nearing a House vote, would cut EPA's budget by 30 percent and curtail EPA's ability to regulate carbon emissions. Also separate legislation, offered by Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, requiring the Energy Department to block environmental rules that cause "significant adverse effects to the economy" is scheduled for a House vote later this week.
McCarthy said some in Congress seem to be passing bills that "do everything but say the EPA can't do anything."
McCarthy echoed the views of her boss, President Barack Obama, that cutting sulfur emissions will spark innovation, increase jobs and grow the economy.
"Can we stop talking about environmental regulations killing jobs? Please, at least for today," McCarthy said.
"Let's talk about this as an opportunity of a lifetime because there are too many lifetimes at stake," McCarthy said. She was alluding to health problems associated with air pollution, and of recent violent storms, including Hurricane Sandy last year, which caused economic devastation, "took lives and prevented the people from living their lives the way they did before."
Without mentioning Vitter by name, McCarthy alluded to her lengthy confirmation process as the Louisiana senator, the top Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, demanded hundreds of documents from the agency and a commitment to turn a "secretive agency" into a transparent one.
Vitter ended his filibuster threat against the nominee when he says he won significant concessions from the Obama administration on the issues he raised.
"It took two lifetimes to get me confirmed. Okay, it's a slight exaggeration," said McCarthy, drawing laughter from her Harvard audience.
It actually took 147 days, McCarthy said. But she said President Obama knew it wasn't going to be easy when he named her after she served as top deputy to EPA administrator and New Orleans native Lisa Jackson during the president's first term.
"I was not a wallflower," she said of her first four years at EPA, which included new regulations for mercury pollution, proposed new rules to reduce carbon emissions from cars and trucks, large smokestacks and new power plants. McCarthy is now looking to reduce emissions from coal-fired power plants.
Republicans panned her speech.
"While the president is out in Tennessee giving another jobs speech, his EPA administrator at the same time is talking about more climate change regulations that will kill jobs," said Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson. He said McCarthy's speech signals that the agency "more responsible for jobs loss than any other federal agency" will continue with the "radical environmental regulations" of Obama's first term.
On Wednesday, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is scheduled to conduct a lengthy hearing on chemical safety, including the Vitter-Lautenberg bill.
The two negotiated a compromise bill in May, less than two weeks before the New Jersey senator, 89, died.
The proposed legislation creates a clear path for getting new chemicals to market, while protecting trade secrets and intellectual property. It also allows for regulation of chemicals that are now off-limits to regulators -- mainly those introduced before 1976 when the Toxic Substances Control Act was enacted.
It's won support from most Republicans, a good number of Democrats, including Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La, industry, as well as some environmental groups.
The committee chair, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., though, has raised concerns that the bill would preempt stricter chemical regulations imposed in her state of California. Vitter staffers said those concerns are based on a misunderstanding of the bill.
The legislation has also drawn criticism from some environmentalists because it doesn't contain provisions designed to help poor communities with large numbers of chemical plants, as did his original legislation.
Among those scheduled to testify at Wednesday's hearing is Dorothy Felix of Mossville Environmental Action Now. Felix said the community has had to deal with 14 petrochemical facilities.
Recently, South African-based chemical company Sasol announced it would soon unveil a voluntary property purchase program for Mossville residents.
Felix said the community has been seeking a relocation plan for years because residents have had to "suffer from industrial pollution that makes us sick and ruin the value of our homes."
Cassidy, the Baton Rouge Republican, said excessive EPA regulation is killing high paying energy and industrial jobs and his bill aims at requiring more scrutiny to quash rules that will cause significant economic losses.
Aaron Viles, deputy director of the Gulf Restoration Network said Cassidy's legislation would slow EPA's efforts to decrease global warming, which is linked to rising sea levels that directly impact Louisiana.