House Republican leadership has identified several climate regulations enacted under the Biden administration that they intend to overturn in the coming weeks through a special legislative process, according to the Washington Examiner. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise announced a list of climate and energy regulations that Republicans aim to reverse using the Congressional Review Act (CRA).
The CRA enables Congress to bypass the filibuster and overturn recently implemented rules with a simple majority vote in both the House and Senate. This process expedites the vote, forcing all members to publicly record their stance. If Congress votes to repeal a rule, the agency is prohibited from proposing a similar regulation in the future.
Among the ten regulations Republicans are targeting is the California Clean Air Act Waiver granted by the Environmental Protection Agency is a primary focus. This waiver allows California to enforce stricter vehicle emission standards than federal requirements, mandating that all new car sales be zero-emissions by 2035.
Numerous states adhere to California’s auto emission standards, which Republicans have strongly opposed, characterizing them as a ban on gasoline-powered vehicles. Former President Trump has pledged to reverse the waiver, which Scalise argues has “resulted in higher vehicle prices for consumers, increased costs and manufacturing complexities for automakers, and a more complicated regulatory environment.”
Another significant target is the Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems, a component of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. This act, passed by Democrats and signed by Biden, allocated substantial funding for clean energy projects. The EPA’s charge imposes a fee on oil and gas facilities that “exceed specific methane emissions thresholds.” Scalise argues that the fee is “a pass-through cost to consumers that will raise prices, reduce domestic energy production, and increase reliance on foreign energy sources.”
Republicans also seek to overturn the Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Gas-fired Instantaneous Water Heaters, which requires a “minimum efficiency level for gas-powered tankless water heaters.” The GOP argues that the rule “places financial burden on consumers and limits consumer choice.”
The GOP also plans to cut the Energy Conservation-Appliance Standards for certification and labeling, which require appliances to meet specific standards to receive an energy-efficient label. Scalise argues that the rule “slows the introduction of products to market, limits consumer options, and affects the supply chain.”
Other targeted climate-related rules include the Oil and Gas and Sulfur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf, the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants for Rubber Tire Manufacturing Rubber Tire Manufacturing, and the GOP will look to overturn the Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources, according to Washington Examiner.
The mandates are being targeted largely for raising costs for consumers and burdening energy operations, including weakening energy independence and restricting domestic energy production.