EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy used a Monday sit-down with city governments to send a clear message of cooperation and job growth under the agency’s contentious climate rules.
The message of hope and prosperity comes just days ahead of a hearing in the Senate meant to challenge EPA’s climate agenda, and to raise concerns over the potential harm the rules could inflict on states.
EPA does not tell states “what our vision is,” but it is states and local governments that tell EPA their needs, and the agency listens, McCarthy said.
McCarthy said the climate rules for power plants are not that different from the programs that states currently benefit from in working with EPA on infrastructure development, where states and cities have been creative in working with the agency to revitalize their communities.
“I firmly believe that climate efforts are exactly the same thing,” McCarthy said.
“That is exactly why as we are looking at our carbon strategy for our power plants, we are opening up opportunities with the states to think more creatively … on how to work with you, on how to bring advantage economically and job growth in the choices they make in how to reduce their carbon pollution,” McCarthy said.
“They can do it if they want to.”
The message of job growth, cooperation with states and economic growth under EPA’s climate rules comes ahead of a hearing slated for Wednesday in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee meant to question the need for the rules.
The climate rules that EPA is developing for existing utilities will require states to develop plans that critics argue could cripple the electric grid and raise energy costs.
McCarthy’s message of partnership, not mandate, to the National League of States could be seen as a test audience as she prepares to go before Congress this week to face critics of the rules.
At budget hearings in recent weeks she has touted the flexibility inherent in the rules that give states the ability to devise their own plans on how to meet the rule.
She also touted EPA’s budget request for $25 million to help states plan and implement the rule. And she implored NLC members to reach out to their governors’ offices and state governments to be a part of the planning process.
McCarthy said in the weeks to come the agency would reach out to the states to understand their needs across a variety of programs from water issues, to waste and rehabilitation to climate resilience efforts.
“We are going to be honing our technical expertise in our regions,” she said.
“We have identified 50 communities where our regions are actively working with our communities, and with our regional partners from [other federal agencies] that can work with us in the communities to do exactly what they want us to do,” which is “to listen to them and identify opportunities for funding.”
