Washington, D.C. – Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee hearing on the EPA’s burdensome new regulations, which will increase energy costs, stifle innovation, and jeopardize thousands of jobs across the country.

“For decades, America has led the way to solve tough problems around energy and environmental protection, without sacrificing economic development, or our energy and national security.  

“We’ve harnessed the power of nuclear energy, electrified millions of rural homes with clean hydropower, and ushered in the Shale Revolution, which continues to create millions of new jobs, bring manufacturing back to the U.S., and revitalize communities across the country.  

“America is more energy secure today than ever before thanks to this legacy, which was built on the foundation of free markets, entrepreneurship, and giving people the opportunity to choose which energy sources best suit their needs.  We are the world’s leading oil and natural gas producer, the leading exporter of LNG, and have achieved this while also reducing emissions more than any other nation.  

“We should be celebrating this legacy and building on our achievements.” 

EPA’S RUSH-TO-GREEN AGENDA   

“But instead, President Biden’s EPA is implementing a rush-to-green agenda which is shutting down production and forcibly transitioning the U.S. away from affordable, reliable energy. 

“Efforts like the Clean Power Plan 2.0 will force states to change fundamentally how they generate electricity and raise costs across the board. The agency’s de facto electric vehicle mandate would force Americans to buy EVs, a more expensive alternative to other options that will cede our automotive future to China.  

“The EPA’s latest proposal, if implemented, would impose additional burdensome regulations for methane, which would further stifle innovation, increase operational costs for producers, and increase the price of energy.  

“These burdens will fall directly on American families and businesses.” 

ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES 

“Thanks to the policies of prior administrations, along with technological breakthroughs that have been decades in the making, U.S. oil and gas production has reached record levels in recent months.  

“Despite this, the EPA is moving ahead with an aggressive ‘keep it in the ground’ approach, one that will increase energy costs for Americans, eliminate good-paying jobs, and harm communities across the country that directly benefit from the industry. 

“The EPA’s own regulatory impact assessment of its new methane rule acknowledges the burdens it will create on energy production and affordability.” 

EPA MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE  

“Furthermore, the range of new taxes and regulations that the EPA is proposing will only increase compliance costs, putting small energy companies out of business and shutting down oil and natural gas production.  

“The EPA needs to be transparent with Congress and the American public for how these new regulations would compromise U.S. energy security and affordability.  

“We have a lot of questions about the impacts of this rule and serious concerns that the administration is exceeding its authority under the Clean Air Act with this latest rule. To ensure Americans have access to affordable, reliable energy, it’s vital that we understand and take action to address the EPA’s proposals and ensure America’s energy leadership.”

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