(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, today released a letter that he and Sens. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and James Inhofe (R-Okla.), sent to Michael Vince, President of the Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies (AAPCA) about the process of developing ozone standards. In the May 14, 2014, letter, the Senators asked AAPCA member states to comment on the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) process, and whether there is sufficient transparency, incorporated into EPA’s forthcoming rulemaking on national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone.

“I’ve been warning for months now that the rulemaking process lacks transparency and ignores any scientific and economic analyses that does not support EPA’s left-leaning agenda,” said Vitter. “We want to hear from the States about their experience, and see if the rule may affect their ability to attract new businesses and create jobs.”
The Senators are concerned that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) involvement with the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) process is far more closed-door than the agency indicates. CASAC convened earlier today to review and finalize their recommendations to the EPA Administrator on the lowering of the ozone standard. While the Clean Air Act requires that CASAC advise the Administrator of any adverse public health, welfare, social, economic, or energy effects which may result from various strategies for attainment and maintenance of NAAQS, historically this has not been performed.

Previously, Sen. Vitter requested EPA provide to CASAC the results of a threshold model analysis and the correction of certain data prior to today’s meeting. Click here to read more.