Statement of Senator Jim Inhofe
EPA Rule on Diesel Fuel
September 21, 2000

Today's hearing will address the proposed diesel fuel regulations from EPA. We held our first hearing on this issue on June 15, where we concentrated specifically on the sulfur issue. Today we will continue our look at that issue but also examine broader the diesel engine side of the regulation. When we hold our last hearing, gasoline prices were at a record high since the Gulf War. President Clinton predicted that the prices would drop by this Fall. It is now September and the prices per barrel are even higher. This week it hit over $37 a barrel, the highest since the Gulf War.

I have previously criticized this Administration and the prior Republican Administration for failing to have a National Energy Policy. But in addition to not having an energy policy, the Clinton-Gore administration has made matters even worse by issuing new environmental regulations without any regard for their effect on the price or supply of fuel.

I hope it does not come to this. I hope the EPA will finalize a rule which ensures that we will not have wide scale shortages and price spikes, but I fear they are rushing to get anything finalized and are not spending the necessary time to craft good public policy. If I am forced to use the Congressional Review Act it will not be because I am opposed to Clean Air or cleaner emissions. It will be because, unlike the gasoline sulfur rule, the EPA is finalizing a half finished rule which does not take into account all of the public policy issues in regulating our fuel supply.