NE Washington News

House Energy and Commerce Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee Chair Buddy Carter recently made a passionate plea for reforming air quality standards during a markup session in Washington D.C. Carter highlighted the broken NAAQS process, stating, "The NAAQS process is broken from beginning to end." He emphasized the challenges faced by states in implementing effective plans due to rigid timelines and outdated assumptions under the Clean Air Act.

Carter also pointed out that burdensome regulations could undermine American leadership, leading to the loss of high-paying jobs and the outsourcing of manufacturing to countries with weaker environmental and labor standards. He advocated for practical reforms to the NAAQS process to help states address air pollution effectively while avoiding harmful impacts.

The proposed legislation aims to extend the timeline for reviewing air quality standards, provide more discretion to the EPA Administrator in choosing standards, and include exclusions for actions to mitigate wildfires, a significant contributor to particulate matter concentrations. Carter emphasized the importance of supporting states in their air quality efforts, with provisions in the draft ensuring states can revise their plans and have representation from different regions on advisory committees.

Contrary to criticism, Carter asserted that the legislation does not prioritize polluters over people but instead seeks to help states implement health standards without unnecessary burdens. He called for bipartisan support for the bill, highlighting its commonsense reforms to assist states in crafting unique implementation plans and ensuring that wildfire mitigation efforts are not discouraged.

Carter urged his Democratic colleagues to collaborate on reforming the NAAQS process to benefit both the regulated community and the public. As a former medical professional, he emphasized the significance of protecting constituents' health and expressed optimism about the legislation's potential to reform the outdated process, support American manufacturing, and safeguard public health.