Sen Comm EVIRON & PUBLIC W EPW

---vitter inhofe chairs?, now barrassoomg 818 mercury rollback when money already spent!https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/8/senators-carper-and-alexander-call-on-epa-to-keep-mercury-and-air-toxics-standards-rule-in-placemercury<div class="header" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(40, 59, 90); font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-weight: 300; line-height: 22px; color: rgb(117, 121, 124); margin: 0px 0px 10px; border: 0px; padding: 0px;">Aug 24 2018</h4></div><div class="post-body" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(40, 59, 90); font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><div class="content" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="post-content" style="box-sizing: border-box;">WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), and Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), sent a <a href="https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/cache/files/a/d/adb9d439-c3e6-43da-beb1-c58f86ff0a86/2DE02898C197F3615F58FB3F2220575B.18-8-24-carper-alexander-mats-letter-redacted.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: rgb(40, 59, 90); text-decoration-line: none; transition: background-color 0.2s ease 0s, color 0.2s ease 0s;">letter</a> to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in support of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule. On February 16, 2012, EPA published the MATS rule, which resulted in the first-ever federal standards to limit mercury, acid gases and other air toxic pollution from fossil-fuel power plants. Prior to the rule, fossil-fuel power plants were the largest source of unregulated mercury in the country. MATS has achieved a 90% reduction in mercury power plant emissions. In April 2017, the D.C. Circuit Court granted EPA’s request to delay litigation against MATS, as the agency determines if it wants to make any changes to the rule. The senators’ letter follows a <a href="https://www.eenews.net/assets/2018/07/11/document_gw_04.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: rgb(40, 59, 90); text-decoration-line: none; transition: background-color 0.2s ease 0s, color 0.2s ease 0s;">letter</a> by the utility industry also asking EPA to keep the MATS protections in place because investments in air control technology have already been made and installed.Senators Carper and Alexander wrote, “Keeping the current rule in place will provide much-needed certainty for the electric power industry and help protect the health of all Americans.”The senators continued, “EPA struck the right balance between protecting the environment, public health and our economy.  For these reasons and more, we strongly supported the MATS rule when it was finalized and still support the rule today.” “MATS has been a success, and changing the MATS rule just doesn’t make sense,” the senators wrote. A copy of the letter can be found <a href="https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/cache/files/a/d/adb9d439-c3e6-43da-beb1-c58f86ff0a86/2DE02898C197F3615F58FB3F2220575B.18-8-24-carper-alexander-mats-letter-redacted.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: rgb(40, 59, 90); text-decoration-line: none; transition: background-color 0.2s ease 0s, color 0.2s ease 0s;">HERE</a>, and the full text of the letter is below:...</div></div></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=</div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">inhofe rolls on pru</div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="headline-container" style="margin-top: 10px; color: rgb(31, 31, 31);"><h1 class="headline h1" style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px; position: relative; line-height: 31px;">Chair of Senate Environment Panel to Call Scott Pruitt to Testify on Scandals</h1></div><div id="utm_campaign" style="margin-top: 10px; color: rgb(31, 31, 31);"><div class="body js-expandable clearfix js-listicle-body js-update-url" data-elid="2578328527" data-authors="Environmental Working Group" data-headline="Chair of Senate Environment Panel to Call Scott Pruitt to Testify on Scandals" style="margin: 10px; line-height: 24px;"><div class="body-description">The Republican chairman of the Senate committee with oversight of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (<a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/epa" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(82, 149, 70); outline: none;">EPA</a>) plans to call the agency's embattled chief <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/scott-pruitt" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(82, 149, 70); outline: none;">Scott Pruitt</a> to testify, specifically in response to multiple scandals and investigations surrounding the administrator.Through a spokesperson, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-epa-pruitt/senate-republicans-call-for-hearing-on-pruitt-scandals-idUSKBN1JA01L" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(82, 149, 70); outline: none;">informed Reuters</a> of his decision to compel Pruitt to come before the Environment and Public Works Committee to answer questions about his alleged abuse of his office....</div></div></div><div></div></div> =<a href="https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/10/senators-release-draft-of-wildfire-prevention-legislation">https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/10/senators-release-draft-of-wildfire-prevention-legislation</a>PR BS<div class="header" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><h1 class="title" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 10px; line-height: 1.1; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); padding: 0px 0px 15px;"><a href="https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases-republican?ID=04D5BC10-0154-4F61-8C19-7DA6F6A31B2E" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">Senators Release Draft of Wildfire Prevention Legislation</a></h1><h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.1; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;">October 23, 2017</h4></div><div class="post-body" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="content" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="post-content" style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2017 will simplify forest management to help prevent & mitigate wildfires and protect wildlife.  WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), joined with Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), John Thune (R-SD), and Steve Daines (R-MT) to release a staff draft of the Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2017.The draft legislation will enhance forest management to more effectively mitigate severity of catastrophic wildfires. The bill will also provide increased protections for wildlife habitat threatened by wildfires.“In Wyoming, and across the West, catastrophic fires have destroyed people’s homes, devastated wildlife, and claimed lives, ” said Barrasso. “State and local forest managers need the flexibility to remove trees and dead wood that fuel these terrible fires. Our bill will provide commonsense tools and cut unnecessary red tape. We must act quickly to address the risk these fires pose to both people and wildlife.”"I’m thrilled to see continued progress with this important legislation. Wildfire continues to decimate Western communities, ruining sources of drinking water, destroying property, and even claiming lives,” Hatch said. “I believe this proposal will strengthen the Forest Service’s ability to engage in wildfire prevention, which carries the added benefit of improving wildlife habitat. It is imperative that we to return to a more balanced approach to forest management, not just fire management. I am confident that this bill will help foster safer, healthier forests in Utah and across the West for years to come.”“After nearly a quarter century of very-limited-to-hands-off forest management, federal forest fire suppression costs have continued to grow,” said Thune. “We must take immediate steps to improve the health of our nation’s forestland and be more aggressive and proactive in forest management. I believe this legislation offers several common-sense solutions that would help solve our problem of declining forest health by allowing land management professionals to use more 21st Century land management techniques. Efficient and effective land management makes forests more resilient and better able to withstand fire, pests, and diseases. This bill, which includes provisions I’ve previously introduced that would greatly expand categorical exclusions and measures to reduce litigation risk, is an important step in the right direction.”“We have had one of the most devastating fire seasons this year across the West and in Montana,” said Daines. “We need forest management reform now to reduce the severity and intensity of wildfires and create more good-paying jobs.”Specifically, the Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2017 will:<ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Statutorily reverse the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit's Cottonwood decisions by codifying the position taken by the Obama administration that federal agencies are not required to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at a programmatic level when new critical habitat is designated or a new species is listed;</li></ul><ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Direct the Department of Interior (DOI) to create a categorical exclusion (CE) for certain sage-grouse and mule deer habitat vegetation projects that address areas affected by the encroachment of invasive pinyon and juniper trees;</li></ul><ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Direct the Department of Agriculture to create a CE for immediate action in critical response situations due to disease and insect infestations, threats to watersheds, and other high-risk areas;</li></ul><ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Call for streamlined environmental review for ecosystem restoration projects by requiring the U.S. Forest Service to consider only two alternatives during the planning process: an "action" alternative, and a "no action" alternative;</li></ul><ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Establish or modify CEs for wildlife habitat improvement, forest thinning, and insect and disease infestation; and</li></ul><ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Establish a five-year pilot arbitration process to allow alternative dispute resolution for forest activities that will result in binding decisions not subject to judicial review.</li></ul>To view full text of the draft legislation, click <a href="https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/cache/files/2/e/2e545e3e-1e10-41dd-baa5-8aa88355a1e9/E61D2E92B935E0965B68D1D9A3832020.staff-draft-wildfire-prevention-and-mitigation-act-of-2017.pdf" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">here</a>.Background Information:On September 27, 2017, the EPW committee <a href="https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/hearings?ID=8D56D171-7DFF-4BF7-B83A-87BEC1D91A42" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">held a hearing</a> on “Forest Management to Mitigate Wildfires: Legislative Solutions.” The hearing examined three pieces of legislation: S. 605, the Litigation Relief for Forest Management Projects Act; S.1417, the Sage-Grouse and Mule Deer Habitat Conservation and Restoration Act of 201; and S.1731, the Forest Management Improvement Act of 2017.On October 25, 2017, the EPW Committee is scheduled to hold a <a href="https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/hearings?ID=615CD735-CB92-42B2-99D9-888AAD0CDBB6" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">legislative hearing</a> on the Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2017.</div></div></div>=<h2 style="margin: 20px 0px 0px;"> =</h2><div>see National Governors Association</div><div></div><div><a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/24022017/endangered-species-act-governors-california">https://insideclimatenews.org/news/24022017/endangered-species-act-governors-california</a></div><div>
</div><div>Nearly 300 environmental and social justice groups are calling on the nation's governors to oppose attempts to amend the Endangered Species Act, trying to head off what appears to be shaping up as a series of attacks against the landmark law.In<a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/esa_attacks/pdfs/Letter_to_National_Governors_Assn_on_Protecting_Endangered_Species_Act.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;"> a letter</a> sent to the National Governors Association on Thursday, the organizations warned the group against endorsing any rewrite of the act during the governors' annual meeting this weekend."In the current political environment," the organizations wrote, "any effort to open up the law would likely weaken, if not cripple, its ability to conserve and recover our nation's most imperiled plants and animals."The advocacy organizations said they expect an attempt this weekend by the Western Governors Association (WGA) to have the national group join its campaign for reforming the law.The National Governors Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Last year, the WGA<a href="https://westgov.org/images/2016-08_Species_Conservation_and_ESA.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;"> adopted a resolution</a> calling on Congress to amend the Endangered Species Act by setting clear criteria for removing recovered species, increasing regulatory flexibility and expanding the role of state governments. The resolution also said using <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/topic/climate-change" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">climate change</a> as a factor for listing species as endangered makes it difficult to create a timeline for recovery or a management plan. It said the act "may not be equipped to address this potential global threat to species and habitat."Republicans in Congress, led by members from Western states, have said they intend to amend or repeal the law because it does not help species recover fast enough.The WGA's executive director, Jim Ogsbury,<a href="https://www.westgov.org/news/357-news-2017/1357-wga-executive-director-jim-ogsbury-offers-testimony-on-modernization-of-the-endangered-species-act" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;"> testified last week</a> at a Senate hearing on "modernizing" the act, telling lawmakers that it is "premised on a strong state-federal partnership. Western Governors submit that such cooperation should involve full and authentic partnership between the states and Services with respect to species listing, critical habitat designations, establishment of recovery goals and delisting decisions."Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which held the hearing, said the act <a href="https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/2/chairman-barrasso-the-endangered-species-act-needs-to-be-modernized" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">should be amended</a> to improve recovery rates and de-listings.But the organizations behind Thursday's letter to governors, including the Center for Biological Diversity and the Humane Society, said those arguments are specious attempts to gut the act. Their letter issues a forceful defense of the law, saying it has prevented the extinction of 99 percent of the species listed. They argue that recoveries take decades, while the law was adopted only 44 years ago. More than 700 species, or nearly half those listed, have been protected for fewer than 20 years, according to the letter.</div><div>...</div><div></div><div><div class="content-list-component mt-paragraph text" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; max-width: 630px; min-width: initial; width: 630px; line-height: 1.5em;">While much of the congressional climate change denial <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/12/al-gore-republicans_n_5313028.html" target="hplink" data-beacon="{" p="p" mnid="mnid" entry_text="entry_text" lnid="lnid" citation="citation" mpid="mpid" style="box-sizing: inherit;">happens in the House</a>, the Democrat-led Senate has also failed to exhibit substantial interest in the issue.</div><div class="content-list-component mt-paragraph text" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; max-width: 630px; min-width: initial; width: 630px; line-height: 1.5em;">The Senate Commerce Science and Space Subcommittee has held four hearings on space, but only one on climate change. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hasn’t addressed the topic since 2012. The Environment and Public Works Committee has held three hearings on climate change this Congress.</div>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/22/congress-climate-change-aliens_n_5372168.html]</div><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/07/lamar-smith-climate-change-denial_n_6123638.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/07/lamar-smith-climate-change-denial_n_6123638.html</a>susan bodineChief CounselUnited States Senate Committee on Environment and Public WorksJanuary 2015 – Present (1 year 3 months)Washington D.C. Metro AreaBarnes & Thornburg LLPPartnerBarnes & Thornburg LLPMarch 2009 – January 2015 (5 years 11 months)Washington D.C. Metro AreaU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAssistant Administrator, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency ResponseU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyJanuary 2006 – January 2009 (3 years 1 month)Washington D.C. Metro AreaStaff DirectorSubcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, House Committee on Transportation & InfrastructureJanuary 2001 – December 2005 (5 years)Washington D.C. Metro AreaSenior CounselSubcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure,January 1995 – December 2000 (6 years)Washington D.C. Metro AreaCovington & BurlingAssociateCovington & BurlingAugust 1988 – January 1995 (6 years 6 months)Washington D.C. Metro Areasuperfund<table width="100%" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td width="99%" align="left" valign="middle" class="vblack11" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=093eea36-b3b3-e1da-1ac9-b4a06c5637a3&Witness_ID=e490787d-5d1f-4dbe-8ac3-96b6c69678f1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Dr. Roger O. McClellan </a> Advisor, Toxicology and Human Health Risk Analysis</td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td width="1%" align="center" valign="middle" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><td width="99%" align="left" valign="middle" class="vblack11" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=093eea36-b3b3-e1da-1ac9-b4a06c5637a3&Witness_ID=e28281fb-0998-476e-86f5-f267150c07d1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Ted Hadzi-Antich </a> Senior Staff Attorney, Pacific Legal Foundation</td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td width="1%" align="center" valign="middle" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><td width="99%" align="left" valign="middle" class="vblack11" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=093eea36-b3b3-e1da-1ac9-b4a06c5637a3&Witness_ID=e12bd8a5-975a-46ce-af27-57ceb9e8bd29" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Alfredo Gomez </a> Director, Natural Resources and Environment Team, U.S. Government Accountability Office</td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td width="1%" align="center" valign="middle" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><td width="99%" align="left" valign="middle" class="vblack11" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=093eea36-b3b3-e1da-1ac9-b4a06c5637a3&Witness_ID=e269abff-ce87-4b4f-87af-2cacc97413ef" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Dr. Terry Yosie </a> President & CEO, World Environment Center</td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td width="1%" align="center" valign="middle" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><td width="99%" align="left" valign="middle" class="vblack11" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=093eea36-b3b3-e1da-1ac9-b4a06c5637a3&Witness_ID=4d5e0c43-9fc2-428a-954a-1b1132b8596e" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Scott Faber </a> Vice President of Government Affairs, Environmental Working Group

2 on coal, eg
<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(43, 64, 77); font-size: 11px;"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety will hold a hearing entitled, “The Impacts of EPA’s proposed Carbon Regulations on Energy Costs for American Businesses, Rural Communities and Families, and a legislative hearing on S. 1324.” TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 2:00 PM Room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building By Order of the Chairman Shelley Moore Capito</td></tr><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><hr width="100%" color="#999999" size="1" noshade="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(43, 64, 77); border-bottom-style: dotted;" /></td></tr><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td width="50%" align="left" valign="top" class="vblack11" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Majority Statements <table width="100%" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="vblack11" align="left" valign="top" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Statement&Statement_ID=1444a50e-8713-40c6-8bda-b182b7478e8f" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">James M. Inhofe</a> </td></tr><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="vblack11" align="left" valign="top" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Statement&Statement_ID=16254f66-6a6e-4690-8ac4-710339019fd0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Shelley Moore Capito</a> </td></tr></tbody></table></td><td width="50%" align="left" valign="top" class="vblack11" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Minority Statements   <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tbody><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><hr width="100%" color="#999999" size="1" noshade="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(43, 64, 77); border-bottom-style: dotted;" /></td></tr><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td align="left" valign="top" class="vblack11" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Witnesses Opening Remarks <table width="100%" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td width="1%" align="center" valign="middle" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><td width="99%" align="left" valign="middle" class="vblack11" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=df9d4cda-a4d2-5554-23b7-8da2ab94a452&Witness_ID=be3c70c0-7d1c-4c09-ac6e-00cecde8bc69" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Paul Cicio</a>  President  Industrial Energy Consumers of America</td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td width="1%" align="center" valign="middle" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><td width="99%" align="left" valign="middle" class="vblack11" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=df9d4cda-a4d2-5554-23b7-8da2ab94a452&Witness_ID=86fd11ce-d1e8-4434-a869-59e94b6b8dff" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Joseph J. Martens </a> Commissioner, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation</td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td width="1%" align="center" valign="middle" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><td width="99%" align="left" valign="middle" class="vblack11" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=df9d4cda-a4d2-5554-23b7-8da2ab94a452&Witness_ID=8f77d736-ab73-4a10-a33e-e711bd72488e" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Eugene M. Trisko </a> Attorney at Law on behalf of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA)</td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td width="1%" align="center" valign="middle" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><td width="99%" align="left" valign="middle" class="vblack11" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=df9d4cda-a4d2-5554-23b7-8da2ab94a452&Witness_ID=316c1dc2-75aa-4a7b-9748-1c125e6350c0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Mary B. Rice </a> MD MPH, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine</td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td width="1%" align="center" valign="middle" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><td width="99%" align="left" valign="middle" class="vblack11" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=df9d4cda-a4d2-5554-23b7-8da2ab94a452&Witness_ID=810a2528-6c33-4099-859d-9b001b30db17" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Mr. Harry C. Alford</a>  President  National Black Chamber of Commerce</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>==

<a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2015/02/energy-industry-cash-fuels-senate-environment-committee">http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2015/02/energy-industry-cash-fuels-senate-environment-committee</a>

2/15

Years of cultivating relationships with Republican lawmakers and supporting their campaign committees financially may begin to pay off tomorrow, as the GOP now controls the Senate — and thus, the Environment and Public Works Committee — and some of the industry’s closest friends will lead the questioning of EPA officials at tomorrow’s hearing.

The committee will hold an oversight hearing Wednesday morning to discuss proposed carbon dioxide regulations for American power plants. The rules, announced last year by the EPA, would expand the Environmental Protection Agency’s control over big-carbon emitting industries. But those industries are not taking the proposed move lightly, and the affected industries are influential ones in Washington.

Wednesday’s hearing is one battle in a larger war between the Republican-controlled Congress and President Obama on environmental policy. After winning control of the Senate in November, Republicans vowed to fight the President’s agenda to address climate change. Senate Republicans <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/11/us/politics/republicans-vow-to-fight-epa-and-approve-keystone-pipeline.html?_r=0" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">don’t appear to have the ability to completely repeal the EPA rules</a>, but they have vowed to undermine and defund the ability of the EPA to administer those rules.

The proposed EPA rules, <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/fact-sheet-clean-power-plan-overview" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">announced in June</a>, will cut carbon dioxide production from power plants and the power sector to 30 percent below 2005 levels. According to an overview published on the EPA website when the rules were first rolled out, power plants are the biggest source of carbon emissions in the country, accounting for roughly a third of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. The plan would have an impact on health and quality of life issues as well: The EPA says that the rules would cut smog pollution by 25 percent, save $55 billion in health care costs, prevent up to 6,600 premature deaths, and cut asthma attacks for children.

The rules would require compliance from the states as well, and the varying levels of cooperation <a href="http://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/montana-and-wyoming-see-epa-coal-rules-differently/article_329c9d8c-4dc1-5516-b9f7-d225348ca8c0.html" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">seem to reflect the polarized nature of American politics</a> on the issue in general. Two states that rely heavily on coal power plants, Wyoming and Montana, have adopted different stances on the EPA policies. The state with the Democratic governor, Montana, is embracing compliance with the regulations. The state with the Republican governor, Wyoming, has rejected the rules.

As for money, the difference between giving to Republicans and Democrats on the committee illustrates a contrast between major carbon-based energy industries and the environmental advocacy groups.

For the <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/cmteprofiles/indus.php?cmteid=S10&cmte=SENV&congno=113" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Senate Energy and Public Works committee</a> overall, the <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=E01" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">oil and gas industry</a> and <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=E08" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">electric utilities industry</a> both make a strong showing. As of late last year, $2.7 million had been donated in the 2014 cycle by the oil and gas industry to then-committee members, making it the tenth biggest donor industry to the committee. Republicans received a full 79 percent of those contributions. Electric utilities came in 19th among donors to the committee, giving $1.7 million with 55 percent going to Democrats. The <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=Q11" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">environmental industry</a>, made up of advocacy groups like the<a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000288" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">League of Conservation Voters</a> and the <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000259" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Sierra Club</a>, didn’t make the committee’s top 20 donors.

The chair of the committee, Sen. <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00005582&cycle=2014" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">James Inhofe</a> (R-Okla.), who has rejected the idea that humans are responsible for changes to the planet’s climate <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/01/21/jim-inhofe-flips-the-script-on-democratic-climate-change-is-a-hoax-vote/" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">as recently as January</a>, received more money from the oil/gas and electric utilities industries than any other industries. Oil and gas gave $556,700 to the senator’s campaign committee and leadership PAC from 2009 to 2014, making it his biggest industry donor. The electric utilities industry dropped $278,000 into his accounts during that same time, ranking second.

Three of Inhofe’s top four donors in that period were major energy companies that may face repercussions if the EPA tightens its grip on carbon emissions. At the top of the list, <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000186&cycle=2014" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Koch Industries</a> employees and PACs donated $45,200, and lobbyists hired by the company donated $9,430. <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000334" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Honeywell</a> came in second with individuals and PACs donating $45,000, while Honeywell lobbyists donated $15,500. Inhofe’s fourth biggest donor was <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000022303" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Valero Energy</a>, which donated $40,000 through its PAC.

The other Republicans on the committee received a considerable sum from the two industries as well. Virtually all of the ten other Republicans had oil and gas make their top 20 donor industry lists. At least five had the electric utilities industry make that list. The biggest oil and gas recipient in the committee was Sen. <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000022303" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">David Vitter</a> (R-La.) with $694,650 coming from the industry. The biggest electric utilities industry recipient was Sen. <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00006236&cycle=2014" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">John Barrasso</a> (R-Wyo.), who received $322,250 from the industry.

On the minority side of the committee, the oil and gas industry didn’t crack the top 20 for a single current member. The electric utilities industry made it onto the top 20 industries list for Sens. <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00012508&cycle=2014" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Tom Carper</a> (D-Del.) , <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00001955&cycle=2014" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Ben Cardin</a> (D-Md.) , and <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00035267&cycle=2014" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Cory Booker</a>(D-N.J.), with $155,100, $124,000, and $168,138, respectively. The environment industry did make the top 20 for five of the nine Senators caucusing with the Democratic party, including ranking Democratic Sen. <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00006692&cycle=2014" style="text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Barbara Boxer</a> (D-Calif.). No Republicans on the committee had the environmental industry on their top 20 industry donor list.

http://www.eenews.net/special_reports/inside_committees/stories/1060011234/print<header class="headline_block" style="border: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18.6030006408691px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><h2 class="slug" style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-size: 17.9999980926514px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; text-transform: uppercase; position: relative; color: rgb(51, 102, 153); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">
</h2><h1 class="headline" style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-size: 17.9999980926514px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Staff shuffles abound across energy, enviro committees</h1><section class="byline" style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 0.25em 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-weight: bold; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Robin Bravender, E&E reporter<time datetime="2015-01-07 07:07:14 -0500" style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Published: Wednesday, January 7, 2015</time></section></header><section class="content" style="border: 0px; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Droves of new staffers are moving into top jobs on energy and environmental committees, now that the 114th Congress is officially underway.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Incoming GOP committee leaders are staffing up in the Senate as they prepare to fight the Obama administration's energy and environmental agenda, while leadership changes in the House are sparking further staff shakeups across Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, some former staffers are shifting to work for other lawmakers or leaving the legislative branch after their former bosses retired or lost their races or committee posts.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">It's a familiar shuffle that occurs at the start of each new Congress, and the new hires will be helping to set the tone on Capitol Hill this year when it comes to energy and environmental issues.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">In the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Ryan Jackson will be taking over as staff director under incoming Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) (<a href="http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2014/12/16/stories/1060010609" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">E&E Daily</a>, Dec. 16, 2014).<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Dimitri Karakitsos will be staying on as EPW Republicans' senior counsel, and Brittany Bolen will remain on staff as Republican counsel, according to Inhofe spokeswoman Donelle Harder. Karakitsos started on the EPW staff in 2009, when Inhofe was the top Republican, and he stayed on when Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) took over as ranking member in 2013. Bolen joined the committee in 2013.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Harder -- an Inhofe communications aide since 2012 -- will be the new EPW communications director. Harder said more staffing announcements will be made after Inhofe is elected chairman.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Major shakeups aren't expected on EPW's Democratic staff, where Bettina Poirier will remain staff director and chief counsel. Poirier has been a top aide to ranking member Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) since 2005.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">On the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the new chairwoman, Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), has added several new staffers to her roster. Colin Hayes, a former lobbyist with McBee Strategic Consulting, is the committee's new deputy staff director. Michael Pawlowski, formerly Alaska's deputy commissioner of revenue, was recently hired as an energy and natural resources adviser (<a href="http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060009886/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; background: transparent;">E&ENews PM</a>, Dec. 3, 2014).<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Karen Billups is staying on as GOP staff director for the panel; she's been on the committee's staff since 2003.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Across the aisle, Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington is staffing up, now that she's become the top Democrat on the ENR panel.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Cantwell has hired her former staffer Angela Becker-Dippman to return to Capitol Hill to become her staff director. Becker-Dippman has been working as a senior policy adviser in the energy and environment unit of the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash., and previously worked for McBee Strategic Consulting after a stint on Capitol Hill working on energy policy for Cantwell (<a href="http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060010813/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">E&ENews PM</a>, Dec. 18, 2014).<h3 style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-size: 16px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">House hires</h3><p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) is bringing in new staff to the House Energy and Commerce Committee minority office as he takes over the top Democratic spot from retired California Democrat Henry Waxman.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Many of Waxman's former staffers -- including several longtime aides -- have left their posts, and Pallone has begun to fill their slots.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Jeffrey Carroll is the new Democratic staff director, and Tiffany Guarascio has been appointed deputy staff director. Carroll is a longtime Pallone aide who has been chief of staff in the New Jersey Democrat's personal office. Guarascio has been working as legislative director in Pallone's office.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Timothy Robinson, who's been working as senior policy counsel and legislative director for Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), is the new chief counsel for Energy and Commerce Committee Democrats. Ashley Jones has been hired as director of outreach and member services; she was previously chief of staff to former Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.), who lost his 2014 re-election bid.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Michael Goo and Jacqueline Cohen have been heading up the panel's energy and environmental work in recent months, but Democratic staffing for the Energy and Power Subcommittee and the Environment and Economy Subcommittee is still being worked out. Goo was a longtime congressional staffer before working at U.S. EPA and DOE during the Obama administration; he returned to the Energy and Commerce Committee in July. Cohen is a longtime Waxman staffer.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">The Energy and Commerce Committee Republican roster working under staff director Gary Andres is expected to remain largely the same this year. The panel, led by Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), promoted Karen Christian to become its top lawyer in October and hired former Boeing executive Charles Ingebretson to be the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee's chief counsel (<a href="http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060007232/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; background: transparent;">Greenwire</a>, Oct. 10, 2014).<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) will remain chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee this year, but the panel is still seeing some staff changes.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Two new staffers have been hired from the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Molly Boyl is the Science panel's new deputy general counsel and parliamentarian, which was also her role on the oversight committee under former Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.). And Mark Marin, former deputy staff director for oversight under Issa, is now the Science Committee's staff director for the Energy and Environment subcommittees.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Todd Johnston, who has been Republican staff director for the Environment Subcommittee, is expected to soon leave the committee. Stephen Sayle, previously staff director for the Energy Subcommittee, has already left the committee.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">The new Oversight and Government Reform chairman, Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), announced a new spate of staffers last month. Former Podesta Group principal Sean McLaughlin is the committee's staff director; former Chaffetz senior adviser Rachel Weaver is the new deputy staff director. Andrew Dockham is the new general counsel, joining the panel from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Steve Castor is the new deputy general counsel for oversight and investigations, and Ryan Little is the committee's operations director (<a href="http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060009785" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; background: transparent;">E&ENews PM</a>, Dec. 2, 2014).<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Incoming House Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) has also shaken up staffing on the panel that oversees federal lands, wildlife and fisheries. Bishop announced in late November that he had hired committee veterans Jason Knox as staff director and Todd Ungerecht as deputy staff director.<p style="border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Bishop appears to have cleaned house, as at least 11 staffers have departed from the panel. The staffers who have left include former Chairman Doc Hastings' (R-Wash.) staff director, Todd Young; Tim Charters, who was staff director for the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee; Amanda Tharpe, who handled onshore energy development on the EMR Subcommittee; and several others (<a href="http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/stories/1060011153/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; background: transparent;">E&E Daily</a>, Jan. 6).</section>

<h1 class="title-blog" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); text-indent: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 36px; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-weight: bold !important; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Senator Vitter's 'Chemical Safety' Bill</h1>

<div class="comments_datetime_new border_none relative v05" data-beacon="{" p="p" mnid="mnid" entrybyline="entryByline" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-indent: 0px; position: relative; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Posted: 08/14/2013</div>

<p style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-indent: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">These days, legislation rarely makes it through Congress without support from interest groups on both sides of the issue, forcing lawmakers to draft bills that are largely balanced. Now, however, the American people are being pushed by big polluters to accept "chemical safety" legislation advanced by one of Washington's most ardent anti-environmental advocates, Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), that has virtually zero support in the environmental and public health communities.

The bill is the industry-backed Chemical Safety Improvement Act, or CSIA, which would take the worst of all major federal environmental laws, the Toxic Substances Control Act and make it even worse, according to months of <a href="http://www.ewg.org/key-issues/toxics/chemical-policy" target="hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; outline: 0px; text-indent: 0px !important;">meticulous analysis</a> by <a href="http://www.ewg.org/release/wave-opposition-senate-chemicals-bill-swells-public-interest-groups-legal-scholars" target="hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; outline: 0px; text-indent: 0px !important;">dozens of public interest groups</a>, legal scholars and <a href="http://www.ewg.org/release/california-environment-law-enforcement-officials-warn-senators-about-federal-chemicals-bill" target="_hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; outline: 0px; text-indent: 0px !important;">state environment and law enforcement officials</a>.

This shouldn't come as a surprise. Sen. Vitter's environmental voting record in Congress has a lifetime score of only <a href="http://scorecard.lcv.org/moc/david-b-vitter" target="_hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; outline: 0px; text-indent: 0px !important;">4 percent </a>from the League of Conservation Voters.

At virtually every opportunity to consider legislation to protect the quality of our air, water and land or mitigate the ravages of climate change, Vitter has said or voted "No." The only issues where he comes down on the side of the environment is his support for ending wasteful federal subsidies for ethanol, and for the RESTORE Act that steered fines collected from the BP oil spill to Gulf restoration projects in his home state.

Vitter's voting record on environmental issues squares well with the wishes of the companies and industries that have largely bankrolled his campaigns. Since 2009, the petrochemical industry has been his <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?type=C&cid=N00009659&newMem=N&cycle=2014" target="_hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; outline: 0px; text-indent: 0px !important;">largest benefactor</a>, delivering nearly $600,000 to his campaign coffers, while the chemical industry and its downstream users have contributed roughly $340,000 over the same period, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Sen. Vitter has a unique history when it comes to protecting toxic chemicals over public health, having almost single-handedly blocked the Environmental Protection Agency's more than two-decade effort to regulate the use formaldehyde, one of the most studied and highly carcinogenic chemicals in commerce today, in the production of construction materials.

The National Toxicology Program classifies formaldehyde as a <a href="http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/twelfth/profiles/Formaldehyde.pdf#search=formaldehyde" target="hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; outline: 0px; text-indent: 0px !important;">"known human carcinogen."</a>And a 30-year investigation by the <a href="http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/newsfromnci/2009/formaldehyde" target="hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; outline: 0px; text-indent: 0px !important;">National Cancer Institute</a> that tracked the cancer deaths among a group of nearly 26,000 people who were exposed to formaldehyde in the workplace found that those exposed to elevated levels of the chemical had a 78 percent greater chance of being diagnosed with leukemia and a 37 percent increased risk of dying from lymphatic and blood cancers, compared with workers who had not been exposed.

Other victims of formaldehyde exposure include many of Vitter's own constituents who were housed in government-supplied trailers contaminated with the carcinogen in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina's devastation.

Despite this evidence and much more documenting the real dangers of exposure, Sen. Vitter pushed for further study in an effort to delay EPA's attempt to regulate formaldehyde, going so far as to hold up an Obama administration appointment to a top job at EPA unless then-Administrator Lisa P. Jackson agreed to have the National Academy of Sciences review EPA's formaldehyde assessment. That has likely pushed off the agency's final decision for several years.

Joaquin Sapien of the independent investigative journalism center ProPublica <a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/how-senator-david-vitter-battled-formaldehyde-link-to-cancer" target="_hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; outline: 0px; text-indent: 0px !important;">wrote a detailed and wide-ranging piece</a> on Vitter's efforts on behalf of the formaldehyde industry and the financial support he received from its key players. The senator is now the ranking Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee that oversees the EPA and its efforts to improve the quality of our air, water and land. The committee also has jurisdiction over legislation controlling the use of toxic chemicals in consumer and commercial goods, including Vitter's proposed Chemical Safety Improvement Act.

I'm sure that Vitter's patrons in the petroleum and chemical sectors, for whom EPA is a persistent thorn in the side, could hardly be more thrilled with his ascension. And to have the man who delivered for them on formaldehyde leading the charge to water down efforts to reform and strengthen the broken chemical regulation law (often known just as TSCA and pronounced tosca) must be a nice bonus.

Most recently, Vitter <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/05/13/2000051/the-facts-behind-senator-vitters-bogus-campaign-against-epa-nominee-gina-mccarthy/" target="_hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; outline: 0px; text-indent: 0px !important;">held up for weeks</a> the nomination of Gina McCarthy to be the head of EPA, calling further into question his commitment to an EPA that has the resources and Congressional support to do its job.

Given that history, it's not surprising that red flags went up at EWG and many other organizations when Vitter unveiled a chemical policy reform "compromise" bill co-sponsored with the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), who for nearly a decade had championed efforts to reform TSCA that the environmental and public health communities strongly supported.

Those initial concerns over the proposal rolled out by the senator turned out to be right on the mark. Earlier this summer, my colleague David Andrews, Ph.D., delivered <a href="http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2013/06/why-ewg-opposes-chemical-safety-improvement-act" target="_hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; outline: 0px; text-indent: 0px !important;">a thorough critique </a>of how Vitter's bill would benefit the chemical industry -- and fail the public.

Earlier in my career, when I worked for several members of the Senate including Sen. Lautenberg, a former boss passed along one particularly valuable piece of advice on the art of negotiation in Congress: "Always start from your strongest possible position and work down until both sides can agree."

But what Sen. Vitter and his allies want is for the American people to swallow the weakest possible position in terms of public health and environmental protection before the negotiations on TSCA reform have even begun.

The fact is, legislation seldom improves significantly -- at least in terms of the public interest -- when it's debated in committee, a process formally known as the "mark-up." This is when legislators offer their amendments. Some propose changes that would benefit all of us, while others offer up changes designed to help out special interests, such as the chemical companies.

That's why it's essential that any bill that is brought before the full Environment and Public Works Committee start out with broad support from the public interest community, which will require a dramatic rewrite of Vitter's bill to address the problems David Andrews and other experts have identified.

Happily, there is good news for those of us concerned about exposures to toxic chemicals. The chairman of the committee is Sen. Barbara Boxer, a Democrat from California who is arguably the strongest defender of environmental protection and human health to wield that gavel in a generation.

Sen. Boxer notified Vitter and other members during a hearing late last month that she would take charge of moving any TSCA reform legislation through the committee, which as chairman is her right and responsibility.

It's imperative to maintain a focus on not only the failings of the existing federal law but also the pitfalls of adopting Vitter's bill in its place. It's also important that the public interest community vociferously support Sen. Boxer as she works with other leaders to bring <a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Majority.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=36365a59-c5b4-06ae-7fca-669eb37cadb0&Region_id=&Issue_id=" target="_hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; outline: 0px; text-indent: 0px !important;">strong chemical safety legislation</a> to the floor of the Senate. It must be legislation that reflects the desires of the American people and of Frank Lautenberg, her longtime friend and ally whose entire career was spent protecting people -- not the clients of the formaldehyde and petrochemical lobby. alex f ewg

===

Koch Industries alone has given over $6 million in ‘dirty energy money’ to representatives in

Congress since 199921, including contributions to members of the key Senate committees listed in

Figure 6a and 6b as well as to members of key House committees.22

Of the top 25 recipients of

contributions from Koch Industries, seven can be found on these committees including prominent

representatives such as Joe Barton, Mike

Pompeo, and James Inhofe - all voting for

fossil-fuel interests at least 93% of the

time.23

Inhofe is a famous denier of global

warming and has even written a book

arguing that global warming is a hoax.24

Pompeo (R-KA), who has taken over

$100,000 from the Kochs in this current

(2010-2012) Congress alone,25

is backing

fossil fuel subsidies and resisting financial

support for wind energy.26

Pompeo has

even tried to eliminate six EPA internship

slots each accompanied by a $6000

stipend.27

Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) suggested renaming a House bill that would block

EPA climate regulations to the ‘Koch Brothers Appreciation Act’ in 2011.28

The connections between contributions to elected officials were apparent in the vote for the latest

House bill, ‘the Strategic Energy Production Act’, which aimed to limit public influence and

environmental review of agency action on leasing public lands for fossil-fuel production. Those

voting in favor of the bill have taken almost five times more from fossil-fuel interests over the last

thirteen years than those voting against the bill had.29

A closer look at the correlation between

politicians’ voting patterns and the money they receive from the fossil-fuel industry (coal, oil and

gas) with data from Oil Change International reveals similar voting patterns on bills where the public

interest has been pitted against fossil-fuel interests.30

The Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee and Environment and Public Works

Committee (currently under Democratic majority control) have jurisdiction over EPA issues31

as well as other energy policy, climate change, oil, gas and coal production and distribution32, air

pollution, and environmental policy.33

Figure 6 shows the average contribution per Congress, the percentage of votes in favor of fossil-fuel

interests on selected bills, and party affiliation of representatives on two key Senate committees with

jurisdiction over energy and environmental areas. The correlation between party affiliation and votes

in favor of fossil-fuel interests demonstrates a high degree of polarization. It is also observable that

those not voting for fossil-fuel interest as frequently also receive little in contributions from the

fossil-fuel industry. The data reveals a clear pattern: Party affiliation and money from fossil-fuel

interests strongly correlates with voting patterns. What stands out is the relatively expensive

Democratic votes of Joe Manchin, Mary Landrieu, and Max Baucus indicating the higher cost of

going against the party line.

ifg  <a href="http://kochcash.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/ifg_report.pdf">http://kochcash.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/ifg_report.pdf</a>

Figure 6a. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

Representative ($) Average contribution/congress (%) Votes in favor of fossil-fuel interests

John Barrasso (R-WY) 246,366 90

James M. Inhofe (R-OK) 189,764 94

David Vitter (R-LA) 172,732 88

Max Baucus (D-MT) 95,318 40

Lamar Alexander (R-TN) 75,800 94

Jeff Sessions (R-AL) 69,252 94

Mike Johanns (R-NE) 58,750 89

Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) 54,517 13

Mike Crapo (R-ID) 45,206 94

John Boozman (R-AR) 35,246 88

Mark Udall (D-CO) 35,198 11

Thomas R. Carper (D-DE) 32,766 13

Benjamin L. Cardin (D-DE) 31,207 13

Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) 16,139 8

Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) 14,058 13

Barbara Boxer (D-CA) 12,336 6

Jeff Merkley (D-OR) 4,650 11

Bernard Sanders (D-VT) 1,557 7

===

<a href="http://www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/ridiculous-pseudo-science-garbage-meet-gops-environment-leaders"> http://www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/ridiculous-pseudo-science-garbage-meet-gops-environment-leaders</a>

As scientists agree that the problem of man-made climate change is getting more and more urgent, a review of their records reveals that all eight Republican senators on the body’s Environment and Public Works Committee do not believe the phenomenon even exists.

This sentiment was on full display last week in a committee hearing on the subject, when, most notably, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., called for greater “tolerance” in “the public discourse regarding the many scientific viewpoints on climate change. Respect should be shown to those who have done the research and come to a different conclusion.”

That conclusion is certainly “different” from the consensus reached by most members of the scientific community, who have concluded that anthropogenic climate change is real. A 2010 survey of 1,372 climate researchers, in fact, found that 97-98 percent believe in man-made climate change.

So what do the Republicans on the committee believe?

Wicker, in addition to preaching “tolerance,” responded to President Obama’s speech on climate change earlier this month by decrying Obama’s “assertions that global temperatures are on the rise – a notion challenged by scientists and scholars.” He was also initially slated to be part of the “Truth Squad” organized by Sen. Jim Inhofe (see below) for a climate change summit in Denmark in 2009, which was intended to present “another view” of climate change. In the end, though, Wicker did not attend.

Inhofe, R-Okla., on the other hand, did follow through on the “Truth Squad” promise and attended the summit — by himself. Inhofe is one of the Senate’s most ardent climate change deniers, and famously said that global warming is the “greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.” In Copenhagen, he described where that hoax came from. “It started in the United Nations,” he said, but “the ones who really grab a hold of this in the United States are the Hollywood elite.” Inhofe is also fond of proclaiming that “we’re in a cold spell” whenever it snows.

Sen. John Barrasso, of Wyoming, was also supposed to be on Inhofe’s “Truth Squad,” but he too wound up sitting it out. He has said of Inhofe that “legislatively we’re on the same page.” What’s on that page? In 2011 Barrasso introduced sweeping legislation that would have stopped the EPA from regulating carbon emissions without authorization form Congress, reversed the EPA’s findings that carbon emissions and greenhouse gasses are harmful to the environment, and prevented the federal government from employing a number of federal laws that are intended to deal with global warming. “Washington agencies are now trying a backdoor approach to regulate our climate by abusing existing laws,” he said at the time.

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., the ranking member on the committee, once described talk of climate change as “ridiculous pseudo-science garbage that’s so common on the left on this issue,” adding that ”I think there is beginning to be a serious reconsideration of the science of this.”

Jeff Sessions of Alabama was, in 2012, outraged when confronted with the fact that 97-98 percent of scientists agree on anthropogenic climate change. “I am offended by that, I’m offended by that — I didn’t say anything about the scientists. I said the data shows [sic] it is not warming to the degree that a lot of people predicted, not close to that much.” He later added of the 97-98 percent figure: “I don’t believe that’s correct.”

“While there is no dispute over the fact that the Earth’s climate has changed many times over the planet’s history,” Sen. Mike Crapo, of Idaho, writes on website, ”the underlying cause of these climactic shifts is ultimately not well-understood and is a matter of vigorous debate.”

Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas: “Well I think that we’ve got perhaps climate change going on. The question is what’s causing it. Is man causing it, or, you know, is this a cycle that happens throughout the years, throughout the ages. And you can look back some of the previous times when there was no industrialization, you had these different ages, ice ages, and things warming and things. That’s the question.” He also once compared the scientists who believe in man-made climate change to those who warned about Y2K.

Lastly, you’ve got Deb Fischer. The Nebraska Republican was asked during a 2012 campaign debate whether or not she believes in man-made climate change. Her immediate response was, “I certainly don’t support cap-and-trade,” but then added that while she believes the climate is changing, she does not think humans have made a big impact on it.

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.

==

WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) - Republican lawmakers on Thursday blocked a confirmation vote on President Barack Obama's nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, saying they were "completely unsatisfied" with answers provided by Gina McCarthy on several topics.

All eight Republicans on the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works boycotted a scheduled vote on McCarthy's confirmation after a request to delay the meeting was turned down.

At least two Republicans were needed for the committee vote to go ahead, according to committee rules.

In a statement, the lawmakers said that they had made "five very reasonable and basic requests in conjunction with the nomination of Gina McCarthy, which focus on openness and transparency."

"While you have allowed EPA adequate time to fully respond before any mark-up on the nomination, EPA has stonewalled on four of the five categories," they said in a letter to committee chairwoman Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat, who had denied the request to postpone the nomination vote.

In recent weeks the Republicans submitted over 1,000 questions to the nominee, who is currently the EPA's top air quality official, on topics ranging from the agency's email policies to its approach to economic analysis.

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Figure 6a. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

Representative ($) Average contribution/congress (%) Votes in favor of fossil-fuel interests

John Barrasso (R-WY) 246,366 90

James M. Inhofe (R-OK) 189,764 94

David Vitter (R-LA) 172,732 88

Max Baucus (D-MT)   95,318 40

Lamar Alexander (R-TN) 75,800 94

Jeff Sessions (R-AL) 69,252 94

Mike Johanns (R-NE) 58,750 89

Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) 54,517 13

Mike Crapo (R-ID) 45,206 94

John Boozman (R-AR) 35,246 88

Mark Udall (D-CO) 35,198 11

Thomas R. Carper (D-DE) 32,766 13

Benjamin L. Cardin (D-DE) 31,207 13

Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) 16,139 8

Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) 14,058 13%

Barbara Boxer (D-CA) 12,336 6

Jeff Merkley (D-OR) 4,650 11

Bernard Sanders (D-VT) 1,557 7

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<a href="http://">http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/08/deja-vu-at-senate-climate-hearing.html</a>

===

Beyond Bullets: The Suppression of Dissent in the United States

<a asin="B001JOWP72" id="contributorNameTriggerB001JOWP72" href="http://www.amazon.com/Jules-Boykoff/e/B001JOWP72/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1">Jules Boykoff</a><a asin="B001JOWP72" href="http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Bullets-Suppression-Dissent-United/dp/1904859593#"> </a>

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Bullets-Suppression-Dissent-United/dp/1904859593#reader_1904859593">http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Bullets-Suppression-Dissent-United/dp/1904859593#reader_1904859593</a>

dep asst dir of FBI ctr terror test to senate envr and public works 2005  eco terrorist biggest threat; used animal enterprise protection act amended 2002 to go after SHAC (black sheets to clog fax)

cf stepanian on democ now

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<a href="http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/aepa/">http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/aepa/</a>

Senate Majority Committee Members

<a href="http://boxer.senate.gov" target="new">Barbara Boxer</a>  (Chairman)

<a href="http://baucus.senate.gov" target="new">Max Baucus</a>

<a href="http://carper.senate.gov" target="new">Thomas R. Carper</a>

<a href="http://lautenberg.senate.gov/" target="new">Frank R. Lautenberg</a>

<a href="http://cardin.senate.gov/" target="new">Benjamin L. Cardin</a>

<a href="http://sanders.senate.gov/" target="new">Bernard Sanders</a>

<a href="http://klobuchar.senate.gov/" target="new">Amy Klobuchar</a>

<a href="http://whitehouse.senate.gov/" target="new">Sheldon Whitehouse</a>

<a href="http://tomudall.senate.gov" target="new">Tom Udall</a>

<a href="http://merkley.senate.gov" target="new">Jeff Merkley</a>

<a href="http://gillibrand.senate.gov/" target="new">Kirsten Gillibrand</a>

<a href="http://specter.senate.gov/" target="new">Arlen Specter</a>

Senate Minority Committee Members

<a href="http://inhofe.senate.gov/" target="new">James M. Inhofe</a>

<a href="http://voinovich.senate.gov/" target="new">George V. Voinovich</a>

<a href="http://vitter.senate.gov/" target="new">David Vitter</a>

<a href="http://barrasso.senate.gov/public/" target="new">John Barrasso</a>

<a href="http://crapo.senate.gov" target="new">Mike Crapo</a>

<a href="http://bond.senate.gov" target="new">Christopher S. Bond</a>

<a href="http://alexander.senate.gov/" target="new">Lamar Alexander</a>

</div>

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Sen Comm EVIRON & PUBLIC W EPW

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