14 DAY TRIAL // The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation (TRAIN) Act of 2011(H.R. 2401) on Friday (September 23rd), which would strongly affect the EPA’s Clean Air Act.
Recently, President Obama pulled back the EPA's stronger standard for ozone, angering environmental groups, who are now urging the Obama Administration to oppose the TRAIN Act and not repeat that ‘mistake’.
"If the President is presented with H.R. 2401, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill," the White House said.
"The Administration strongly opposes H.R. 2401, which would block two landmark public health regulations under the Clean Air Act and require the preparation of costly, unnecessary, and redundant reports," the OMB stated.
"While the Administration strongly supports careful analysis of the economic effects of regulation, the approach taken in H.R. 2401 would slow or undermine important public health protections."
Those who support the bill claim that EPA’s regulations are unconstitutional and costly, and that they would affect jobs, generate higher energy prices, and increase the nation’s dependence on foreign sources of energy.
The TRAIN Act would create a special committee to oversee the EPA's rules and regulations, and require the agency to consider economic impacts on polluters when it sets standards. A final report on the results of the analysis is due to Congress by August 1, 2012.
According to EPA estimates, new and pending clean air safeguards would save 140,000 lives over the five or more years of proposed delays.
Environmental groups think that short-term industrial profits are put before public health. Moreover, tens of thousands of lives will be put at risk, while threatening the health of thousands more by allowing indefinite delays of pollution protections.
So, TRAIN Act vs. Clean Air Act? Which side are you on?