U.S. Chamber Repeats Call for Transparency at EPA

Files Supplemental Request for an On-The-Record Hearing on Endangerment

WASHINGTON, DC —The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today filed a supplemental request for an "on-the-record" hearing to debate the evidence behind the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) expected finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare.

"The informal notice-and-comment process has not worked here and the only real solution is an on-the-record hearing for a transparent review of the evidence," said William Kovacs, the U.S. Chamber's senior vice president for Environment, Technology, and Regulatory Affairs. "We have reviewed all of the evidence in EPA's endangerment docket and are deeply troubled by the flaws and omissions underlying the proposed endangerment finding. All the Chamber is asking for is transparency in this process. This ruling could ultimately cause a regulatory train wreck with inescapable economic consequences."

Last week, reports surfaced that EPA is finalizing its finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare and could release it very soon, presumably to prod the Senate to pass controversial climate legislation. The agency ignored evidence contradicting its conclusions on a wide range of issues, such as the effect higher temperatures will have on net mortality and levels of other pollutants.

On June 23, 2009 the Chamber submitted a request for a formal "on the record" rulemaking using the Administrative Procedures Act to settle the issues. Since then, reports surfaced that EPA suppressed a study by two members of its staff, Dr. Alan Carlin and Dr. John Davidson, stating that the agency relied on outdated studies and that the current state of climate science refutes the proposed endangerment finding. Today's supplemental filing by the Chamber takes into account the Carlin-Davidson study and the evidence submitted by the public in response to the proposed endangerment finding.

"Let me be clear, we are not debating the science behind global warming," Kovacs said. "We are unconvinced that EPA has demonstrated, as a matter of law, that greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles in the U.S. endanger public health or welfare."

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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