Foreign Emissions and Nonattainment Clarification for Economic Stability Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Alabama for yielding, and I appreciate his hard work going into the Rural Transformation Healthcare Fund that was in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The gentleman originated the idea, and we certainly appreciate his hard work on that.

Today, I rise to support H.R. 6409, the FENCES Act; H.R. 6398, the RED Tape Act; and H.R. 6387, the FIRE Act.

These three bills are an essential part of the committee's broader efforts on permitting reform and aligned with the White House permitting priorities, which include modernizing the Clean Air Act.

A lot has changed since 1990, the last time that the Clean Air Act got a substantial overhaul. Some parts of the law have become outdated, contributing to the regulatory gridlock that is stifling American growth and innovation.

A lot has changed since 1990, the last time the Clean Air Act got a substantial overhaul, and some parts of the law have become outdated, contributing also to more gridlock.

These bills are foundational to our permitting reform efforts because they illustrate ways that we protect public health and the environment while removing outdated provisions that are slowing energy production and manufacturing, ultimately preventing job creation.

The Energy and Commerce Committee has held multiple hearings this Congress on the process for establishing and implementing national air quality standards and improving the preconstruction permitting program without sacrificing environmental protections. Some of the most expensive and significant barriers in the permitting process are the result of the law's outdated provisions.

What is worse, these burdensome requirements fail to address the most significant sources of pollution and create disincentives for companies to invest in cost-efficient and effective technology that would actually improve air quality.

In the U.S., it takes 80 percent longer to permit projects than elsewhere in the world. America's outdated permitting system costs manufacturers in the U.S. approximately $7.9 billion each year. While a reasonable level of permitting is, of course, needed, without commonsense reforms, our Nation risks falling behind our adversaries, like China.

Notably, over 70 percent of projects require Clean Air Act permits, which have the most burdensome approval process of any permitting requirement. Notably, over 70 percent of projects require these permits, and these three bills remove regulatory uncertainty and bureaucratic hoops that impact what and where job creators build new businesses, but they do not change the underlying environmental protections in the law.

The FENCES Act introduced by Congressman Pfluger ensures that States and local communities are not penalized for foreign air emissions emanating from outside of the U.S. The FENCES Act clarifies that all foreign emissions, whether natural or manmade, are not considered when determining whether a State meets national air quality standards.

The FENCES Act protects manufacturers and communities from unnecessary compliance burdens caused by events beyond their control, such as pollution from China, foreign wildfires, or dust storms, while upholding environmental standards under the Clean Air Act.

The RED Tape Act, introduced by Congressman Joyce, eliminates a duplicative environmental review for projects already subject to NEPA environmental review. The duplicative process leads to additional delays and costs in the NEPA process.

The FIRE Act, introduced by Congressman Gabe Evans and co-led by Congressman Adam Gray, updates the Clean Air Act to address the biggest threat in air pollution that this country faces today: wildfires. Bipartisan legislation ensures that States are not punished for prescribed burns or emissions that they cannot control.

Prescribed burns are the most effective tool to decrease the severity of wildfires and public health problems associated with wildfire smoke. Despite the widespread acceptance of benefits of prescribed burns, they are underutilized across the U.S. due to perverse regulatory burdens under current air quality laws.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 6409, the FENCES Act; H.R. 6398, the RED Tape Act; and H.R. 6387, the FIRE Act. These bills provide commonsense solutions and long-needed updates to the Clean Air Act.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source