NPRA Commends House Passage of Bill to Analyze Jobs and Economic Impact of Costly Regulations

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National Petrochemical & Refiners Association President Charles T. Drevna welcomed action today by the U.S. House of Representatives approving the Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation (TRAIN) Act of 2011 and called on the Senate to pass the measure as well.

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The House voted 249 to 169 to approve the bill, which requires an interagency committee to analyze how certain significant regulations issued by the Environmental Protection Agency impact America's global economic competitiveness, electricity and fuel prices, employment, and the reliability of the electrical supply. The interagency committee would also be required to analyze costs and benefits of such regulations on consumers, small businesses, state and local governments, labor markets and agriculture under the legislation.

"This bill is an important first step and we call on the Senate to pass it as well," Drevna said. "Many of EPA's costly regulations threaten America's economic and national security and job creation, while providing little or no significant environmental benefit. Conducting cost-benefit analyses of proposed regulations is in the best interest of the American people. Existing regulations also need to be examined so those that do far more harm than good can be eliminated."  

The House also voted 269-145 in favor of a bipartisan amendment introduced by Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) and Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas) to add gasoline regulations being considered by EPA, referred to as "Tier 3," to the TRAIN Act.

The "Tier 3" regulations being considered by EPA would further reduce sulfur levels in gasoline and reduce volatility, despite the fact refiners have already reduced sulfur levels in gasoline by 90 percent. These regulations would come at a great cost to American workers and fuel manufacturers. They also conflict with other EPA requirements and have been advanced without the EPA providing any evidence that they would benefit air quality, health or the public welfare.

NPRA is a trade association representing high-tech American manufacturers of virtually the entire U.S. supply of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, other fuels and home heating oil, as well as the petrochemicals used as building blocks for thousands of vital products in daily life. NPRA members make modern life possible and keep America moving and growing as they meet the needs of our nation and local communities, strengthen economic and national security, and provide jobs directly and indirectly for more than 2 million Americans.

SOURCE National Petrochemical & Refiners Association