Bills
| 3.23.22

House to EPA Head: You Can't Leave the Country Until You Come to Coal Country, First (H.R. 3684)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 3684?

(Updated July 18, 2017)

This bill would block foreign travel for the EPA Administrator until the agency takes part in public listening sessions held in each of the top 15 coal-producing states. The EPA's listening session tour included stops in NewYork, Boston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, San Francisco and Seattle, but bypassed 16 of the top 20 coal-producing states. 

According to bill cosponsor Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND),

the EPA announced plans to hold listening sessions on forthcoming greenhouse gas regulations for existing coal-fired power plants. Congressman Cramer submitted a written request for a listening session in Bismarck, which did not receive a response from Administrator McCarthy. When McCarthy was before the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Cramer again requested a listening session in North Dakota, to which [McCarthy] did not respond. The agency proceeded to hold 11 sessions in cities including Seattle, San Francisco, and Boston, while bypassing all ten states most reliant on coal generated electricity, including North Dakota.

Argument in favor

For the EPA to ignore discussion and debate of new regulations for coal-powered plants in the states where these decisions will matter most is ignorant, if not cowardly.

Argument opposed

Pollution doesn't recognize national borders; halting global discussion of emissions standards until all domestic debate is accomplished is counterproductive and creates a false dilemma.

Impact

The bill impacts the EPA Administrator's ability to travel abroad and where EPA public listening sessions would be held.

Cost of H.R. 3684

A CBO cost is currently unavailable.

Additional Info

Media: