Johnson Helps Lead Effort to Delay EPA Rules on Greenhouse Gases

Press Release

U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today joined a bipartisan effort to suspend regulation of greenhouse gases from stationary sources by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Johnson is an original cosponsor of the EPA Stationary Source Regulations Suspension Act, which would order the EPA to halt regulation as Congress works to address the problem as part of a comprehensive energy bill.

"Congress is the most appropriate place to debate and create rules that would address greenhouse gases," Johnson said. "With a well-thought out plan on addressing our country's energy issues, we can reduce the effects of harmful emissions and create new job opportunities at home by producing more clean energy in the United States."

The legislation introduced today, along with a similar bill in the House of Representatives, would direct the EPA to take no regulatory action on carbon dioxide or methane emissions, except for motor vehicle emission standards, for two years. The delay will provide Congress time to hear from regulators, small businesses, farmers and industry leaders to find the best way to address climate change and other related issues.

Johnson has continually advocated for Congress to work on a comprehensive energy bill that will benefit South Dakota and the environment by incentivizing investment in renewable fuels like wind and biofuels. South Dakota's growing clean energy economy has added good-paying jobs at an annual job growth rate of more than 7 percent in the last decade and with a federal policy that adds certainty to this industry, the state stands to continue to expand in this field and be at the forefront of renewable energy.

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