Lynchburg Reporter

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Bob Good (VA-05) has introduced the Rein in the EPA Act, a bill aimed at safeguarding small business owners from unnecessary emissions reporting requirements imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The proposed rule entitled "Revisions to the Air Emissions Reporting Requirements" has been criticized for its potential to burden businesses and advance a radical climate agenda.

In a statement, Rep. Good expressed his concerns about the Biden Administration's approach, stating, "My legislation fights back against the EPA's regulatory tentacles and protects small businesses from unduly burdensome compliance requirements. The last thing our economy needs is more Federal Government intrusion."

Daren Bakst, Director of CEI's Center for Energy and Environment, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the excessive costs and expansion of reporting requirements associated with the EPA's proposed air emissions rule. Bakst stated, "The rule is intended to make it easier for the agency to impose even more regulations in the future and it will likely serve as yet another tool to bring lawsuits on businesses across the country."

Bakst commended Rep. Good for introducing the Rein in the EPA Act, calling it a "costly and dangerous rule" that needs to be stopped. He also praised Rep. Good for taking proactive measures to address the issue before the rule is finalized. Bakst emphasized the importance of Congress reasserting its lawmaking power and preventing the EPA from disregarding the will of lawmakers. The bill signifies Rep. Good's understanding of the significance of representative government and the separation of powers.

The Rein in the EPA Act has gained support from several cosponsors, including Rep. Burlison (R-MO), Rep. Donalds (R-FL), Rep. Ogles (R-TN), and Rep. Palmer (R-AL), among others. Additionally, supporting groups such as the Competitive Enterprise Institute and Heritage Action have expressed their backing for the legislation.

The EPA's proposed updated Air Emissions Reporting Requirements (AERR) rule, published on August 9, 2023, has raised concerns due to its drastic changes in how state, local, and tribal agencies report emissions data to the EPA. The new rule would impose costly and burdensome reporting systems on these agencies and thousands of facilities. It would also require reporting on extraneous emissions data that has never been required before.

Under the new AERR rule, state, local, and tribal agencies will face a choice between updating their current reporting systems to match the EPA's system or requiring facilities to "double report" to comply with both the agencies' reporting requirements and the EPA's AERR.

Furthermore, the proposed rule includes unnecessary information in the required emissions reporting, such as geographic data with coordinate points for all emissions sources, reporting on hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), and data collection for small generating units like boilers, turbines, and internal combustion engines.

The EPA estimates that the new rule will impact over 129,500 facilities nationwide, including approximately 43,000 small businesses. These businesses will face compliance costs ranging from $2.4 to $3 billion. Moreover, the new AERR data would be made public, potentially exposing facilities to legal action from radical environmental groups, as the information would no longer remain confidential as it has in the past.

Rep. Good's Rein in the EPA Act seeks to address these concerns and protect small businesses from the burdensome requirements imposed by the EPA. With the support of cosponsors and advocacy groups, the bill aims to curtail the EPA's regulatory reach and ensure that representative government and separation of powers are upheld.

For more information on the Rein in the EPA Act and its progress, visit the Daily Caller News Foundation.

To find out more, go to this link: https://good.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-good-introduces-rein-epa-act