Oversight Committee Obtains Documents Showing Biden Administration is Disregarding the Costs and Illegality of Its Anti-Fossil-Fuel Policies
WASHINGTON—Documents obtained by the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability from an interagency review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed emissions rule suggest the Biden Administration questioned the cost and legality of its drastic emissions rule yet continues to push it forward. The documents contain anonymous comments from federal agencies, potentially including the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Energy Department, National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, the Justice Department, and the White House general counsel.
“The House Oversight Committee continues to fulfill its responsibility to hold this Administration accountable for its radical, anti-American energy and environmental policies that are impacting Americans across the country, said Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.). “Documents uncovered show the EPA and this Administration is willfully disregarding the cost and legality of its proposed emissions rule which would jeopardize America’s power grid, raise energy costs, and cement Green New Deal priorities. The American people expect rigorous congressional oversight, and the Committee will continue to work to ensure the EPA and other Administration officials are being held accountable.”
On May 23, 2023, the EPA published a new proposed emissions rule which would set drastic new standards for America’s fossil fuel-fired power plants. The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability sent a letter to EPA Administrator Regan on June 21, 2023, outlining deep concerns with the emissions rule and requested documents and communications related to the rule. The EPA produced over 2,000 pages of documents in two separate productions. The documents can be found here.
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board details how the Biden Administration is aware of the costs, consequences, and illegality of its anti-fossil-fuel policies but chooses to disregard them.
Key Excerpts:
“The Biden Administration is aware of the costs, consequences and illegality of its anti-fossil-fuel policies but chooses to disregard them.
“The Committee asked EPA for ‘all documents and communications between EPA and the White House regarding changes’ to the rule before it was proposed, as well as between EPA, the White House, and other federal agencies. Emails and calendar invitations suggest various federal agencies provided critical feedback. They included the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Energy Department, National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, the Justice Department and the White House general counsel.
“The comments show that experts and lawyers at other agencies raised serious concerns about the rule.”
[…]
“As one commenter noted, ‘hydrogen combustion has not been adequately demonstrated nation-wide for utility scale power generation.’
“The same commenter stressed that ‘there are issues regarding the integrity of hydrogen supply and whether a consistent and reliable marketplace for hydrogen will emerge’ and ‘a specific compliance date is not appropriate.’ EPA’s proposed rule nonetheless sets hard-and-fast deadlines.
“Another hurdle, the comment noted, ‘is overcoming the physics of hydrogen’s steep energy penalty.’ This energy could be ‘better used directly serving load and maintaining grid reliability.’ No doubt.
[…]
“Power shortages are becoming more common as government force-feeds green energy onto the grid while coal and nuclear plants close. EPA’s rule would curtail power from reliable gas-generators at the same time as the agency’s EV mandate ramps up and increases electricity demand.
“EPA knows these technologies aren’t close to being feasible or cost-effective. But it plans to mandate them anyway to force fossil-fuel plants to shut down. They’ll worry about the consequences later.”