EPA move to alter public health measures alarms advocates

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Roll Call

POLICY
EPA move to alter public health measures alarms advocates
By changing the way it estimates the public health benefits of new rules, the EPA may find it is less able to justify industry compliance costs

By Elvina Nawaguna
Posted June 5, 2020 at 6:00am

Environmental advocates are warning that changes to the way the EPA calculates public health benefits of the rules it writes would make it harder to regulate air pollution, even as industry groups cheer the overhauls they have long sought.

The EPA on Thursday evening proposed overhauls to its metrics for weighing the public health and environmental benefits of the regulations it writes against the costs for industries to comply with new rules.

The proposal follows years of conservatives, industry groups and GOP lawmakers accusing the Obama administration of overstating potential environmental and public health benefits to justify what they say were overly stringent rules that were detrimental to industry.

The proposal would implement a 2017 executive order signed by President Donald Trump directing agencies to “lower regulatory burdens on the American people.”

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said the proposal “corrects another dishonest accounting method the previous administration used to justify costly, ineffective regulations.”

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Read more: https://www.rollcall.com/2020/06/05/epa-move-to-alter-public-health-measures-alarms-advocates/

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Hat tip, Joe.My.God.

https://www.joemygod.com/2020/06/epa-unveils-plan-to-weaken-air-pollution-regulations/

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. EPA Proposes Honest Accounting Standard to Improve Future Clean Air Act Rules

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News Releases from Headquarters › Air and Radiation (OAR)

EPA Proposes Honest Accounting Standard to Improve Future Clean Air Act Rules
06/04/2020

Contact Information:
EPA Press Office ([e-mail])

WASHINGTON (June 4, 2020) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposal to improve the rulemaking process under the Clean Air Act by establishing requirements to ensure consistent, high-quality analyses of benefits and costs are provided to the public for significant rules. This proposal, when finalized, will codify best practices for benefit-cost analysis in rulemaking, and provide clarity for states, local communities and industry regarding EPA’s rulemaking considerations.

“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership on fixing broken regulatory mechanisms, today’s proposed action corrects another dishonest accounting method the previous administration used to justify costly, ineffective regulations,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “This is the one of many actions this administration has taken that will improve the transparency and consistency of EPA’s cost-benefit analyses.”

As a part of a larger effort of regulatory reform under the Trump Administration, EPA has taken a close look at how to improve the assessment of benefits and costs that underpin regulatory decision-making. Many EPA statutes, including the Clean Air Act, contain language on the consideration of benefits and costs, but there are no regulations that ensure that the public is provided an analysis of the benefits and costs in a consistent manner across offices. This proposal focuses on providing more consistent and transparent application of benefit cost analyses under the Clean Air Act.

Today’s proposal, when finalized, will help ensure that Clean Air Act rules are analyzed consistently, transparently, and appropriately, and will provide the public with a better understanding of how EPA is evaluating benefits and costs when developing regulatory actions.

EPA will accept comments on the proposal for 45 days after publication in the Federal Register.

BACKGROUND:

In 2018, EPA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to solicit public input on whether and how to change the way it considers benefits and costs in making regulatory decisions.

In response to comment received, in May 2019, Administrator Wheeler sent a memo directing agency leadership to develop rules for notice and comment that outline how benefit-cost considerations will be applied to future rulemakings in a more consistent and transparent manner.

For more information: https://www.epa.gov/air-and-radiation/proposed-rule-increasing-consistency-considering-benefits-and-costs-clean-air-act

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[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Proposed Rule: Increasing Consistency in Considering Benefits and Costs in the Clean Air Act Rulemak

Programs and Policies of the Office of Air and Radiation

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Proposed Rule: Increasing Consistency in Considering Benefits and Costs in the Clean Air Act Rulemaking Process

On June 4, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposal to improve the rulemaking process under the Clean Air Act by establishing requirements to ensure consistent, high-quality analyses of benefits and costs are provided to the public for significant rules. This proposal, when finalized, will codify best practices for benefit-cost analysis in rulemaking, and provide clarity for states, local communities, industry, and other stakeholders regarding EPA’s rulemaking considerations.

EPA will accept comments on the proposal for 45 days after publication in the Federal Register.

Background:

In 2018, EPA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to solicit public input on whether and how to change the way it considers benefits and costs in making regulatory decisions.

In response to comments received, in May 2019, Administrator Wheeler sent a memo directing agency leadership to develop rules for notice and comment that outline how benefit-cost considerations will be applied to future rulemakings in a more consistent and transparent manner.

Related Documents:

• Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Increasing Consistency and Transparency in Considering Costs and Benefits in the Rulemaking Process

• News Release: EPA Administrator Pruitt Proposes Cost-Benefit Analysis Reform

• Administrator Wheeler Memorandum: Increasing Consistency and Transparency in Considering Benefits and Costs in the Rulemaking Process (May 13, 2019)

You may need a PDF reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA’s About PDF page to learn more.

• Proposed Rule: Increasing Consistency and Transparency in Considering Benefits and Costs in the Clean Air Act Rulemaking Process (pre-publication version) (PDF)(67 pp, 594 K, June 4, 2020)

• Fact Sheet - Proposed Rule: Increasing Consistency and Transparency in Considering Benefits and Costs in the Clean Air Act Rulemaking Process (PDF)(2 pp, 209 K, June 4, 2020)

Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Timid article. That's the whole point of new rules no? Reduce costs to business at expense of health

Transparent shuffle game, as it always is. Trump cancer wave for decades to follow Trump COVID-19 waves.

Prepare for short lives. Give all your money to them.