Washington, D.C.- Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Chairman of the Environment & Public Works Committee, issued the following statement in reaction to the release of the report “Air Quality Management in the United States,” issued by the National Research Council of the National Academies.

“This is an informative study that will help Congress better target how to improve the Clean Air Act. It clearly states cap and trade has proved one of the more successful parts of the Act and it recommends more. That is one of the cornerstones of the Clear Skies legislation I introduced, which uses cap and trade and is the biggest emission reduction plan ever called for by an American President. The study also recommends the need for performance and accountability in the Act as opposed to the ‘command and control’ approach currently ruling it.

“Most importantly, the study reiterates that air quality in the United States is dramatically improving despite increased GDP, energy consumption, and vehicle miles traveled. As we move forward toward ever cleaner air, we must continue to do things smarter and more efficiently if we are to tackle the most difficult problems -- many of the recommendations in this report would move us toward achieving that goal.”

Additional information regarding the report can be found at www.nap.edu.