Capito Applauds Senator Toomey For Introducing Bill To Mandate EPA Consider Jobs

Press Release

Today, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., applauded Senator Pat Toomey, R-PA, for his leadership in introducing the Senate version of Capito's bill, the Employment Protection Act, which would require the EPA to consider the impact of any new regulation, new policy statement or permit denial on jobs.

In May, Capito introduced H.R. 1872 the "Employment Protection Act" to ensure the EPA considers how their actions impact jobs and the economy. Capito has fought hard to limit the EPA's assault on Appalachian job-creators, specifically pushing back against the EPA's intent to use broadly interpreted regulatory authority to overstep the bounds of its traditional role in the permitting process.

"The energy industry provides thousands of good-paying jobs, and coal aloneprovides over half of our nation's electricity and over 95 percent of the power in West Virginia," stated Capito. "I am proud to work with Senator Toomey to ensure that the EPA cannot continue to push rules and regulations without considering what it is doing to local economies and families."

Earlier this month, American Electric Power announced it will be forced to cut jobs and decrease production in order to comply with a series of regulations proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that would impact coal-fueled power plants.

Capito's bill has 12 cosponsors.

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