Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy went to Capitol Hill for a hearing about the science upon which her agency bases its regulations, but instead was read a laundry list of complaints from Republicans.
With many House Democrats taking part in a sit-in on the floor of the lower chamber to protest its lack of action on gun control, Republicans dominated the House Science, Space and Technology Committee hearing where McCarthy was the lone witness.
While the topic of the hearing was “Ensuring Sound Science at the EPA,” lawmakers spent the majority of the hearing ripping McCarthy for the economic impact of EPA regulations.
Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, got the hearing started by accusing McCarthy of cherry-picking science to back the Clean Power Plan, the Obama administration’s regulations on new and existing coal power plants. He said the rule would cost taxpayers billions of dollars for not much benefit in fighting the effects of climate change.
“This plan is nothing more than a power grab to give the government more control over Americans’ daily lives,” he said.
Other regulations that congressional Republicans railed against included tighter ozone standards, the Waters of the United States rule, the Renewable Fuel Standard and provisions that would have limited conversion of street vehicles into racing vehicles that were recently walked back by the EPA.
In addition, other Republicans took the chance to rip McCarthy and the EPA for not responding quicker to letters and information requests from the committee and accused her of mishandling the lead water crisis in Flint, Mich.
Overall, they accused McCarthy of perpetuating an arrogant attitude toward Congress that they say is rife throughout the Obama administration.
“This seems to be a pattern throughout this administration,” said Rep. Dana Rohrbacher, R-Calif. “A pattern of cover-ups, a pattern of unprofessionalism.
“There’s an arrogant disregard for legislative authority.”
Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., criticized McCarthy’s handling of the Flint water crisis and said her agency had complicated farmers’ understanding of what water sources are federally protected by handing down the Waters of the United States rule.
The rule, which is blocked while undergoing a legal challenge, is presented by the EPA as an attempt to clarify which waterways are federally protected. However, opponents call it a huge federal overreach that would make drainage ditches and ponds federally protected.
Moolenaar said McCarthy had failed in her attempts to make life easier for farmers.
“I know your goal has been to clarify aspects of the Clean Water Act, but I would suggest … this has been just the opposite,” he said.
McCarthy remained stone-faced during the criticisms and defended each of the regulations and decisions ripped by Republicans.
She defended the Clean Power Plan as a way to show leadership on fighting climate change and said it’s the agency’s job to propose regulations that help the environment, which she believes it is doing.
“The mission of the EPA is to protect public health and the environment, and the agency’s regulatory efforts further those goals,” she said.
