WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), released the following statement supporting the guidance issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clarify and improve New Source Review (NSR) permitting requirements. 

“I applaud the Trump administration for its work to simplify the approval process for energy providers and manufacturers. The EPA’s actions will allow power plants to update their facilities and reduce emissions,” said Barrasso. “The New Source Review program is more than 40 years old and desperately in need of reform. That’s why I introduced the Growing American Innovation Now (GAIN) Act, so that New Source Review stops being a barrier to important energy and manufacturing projects. I will continue to work with President Trump and Administrator Wheeler to reform the New Source Review program.” 

Background Information 

On Oct. 22, 2019, Barrasso joined with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and Sens. Mike Braun (R-IN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Rand Paul (R-KY), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND), to sponsor S.2662, the GAIN Act. The GAIN Act reforms the NSR program under the Clean Air Act. The bill provides greater regulatory certainty about when facility upgrades require a permit. 

The NSR program in its current form was identified as a key barrier to manufacturing growth in the 2017 Department of Commerce report titled “Streamlining Permitting and Reducing Regulatory Burdens for Domestic Manufacturing.” Instead of jumping over regulatory hurdles, the bill allows facility owners and operators to focus on protecting the environment, growing the economy, and creating American jobs. 

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