Washington, D.C. – Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), the top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, today sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy urging the EPA to allow its independent expert advisors to conduct a full evaluation of the adverse effects of the agency’s upcoming proposal to tighten ozone standards.  By the EPA’s own estimates, the new ozone regulations are expected to cost taxpayers up to $90 billion per year, making them the most costly regulations ever proposed.

Chairman Smith: “The EPA continues to ignore its own independent technical experts when proposing new regulations. The law clearly states that independent experts must examine the broader impacts of regulations and provide advice to the agency. But the EPA has failed to allow its experts to analyze its regulations. The costs of these regulations will be borne by American families. Because of the EPA’s refusal to consult with outside experts it is unlikely that their costly regulations can be justified.”

In their letter, Smith and Vitter urge the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) to conduct a full evaluation of the proposed ozone standards, before EPA moves forward in the rulemaking process. CASAC failed to comply with the Clean Air Act when it recently transmitted advice to EPA on lowering of the ozone standards, but omitted an evaluation of the adverse effects. In their letter, Smith and Vitter request a timeline from EPA that allows for CASAC to conduct the evaluation, including public comment, prior to EPA’s court-mandated issuance of a proposal by December 2014.

Text of the full letter can be found HERE.