Cramer Statement on EPA Ozone Rule

BISMARCK, N.D. – Today Congressman Kevin Cramer released a statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a massive new proposal to drastically tighten the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone:

“This drastic change to ozone standards would be the most expensive regulation ever issued by the U.S. government according to a study released in July. This is the same overzealous rule President Obama himself asked the EPA to withdraw in 2011. What has changed since then which would make him think this is a good idea? The President decided to wait until after his re-election, and after the midterm elections, to put out this rule to devastate the economy right before Thanksgiving. This massive ozone rule is a chunk of coal in the stockings of every American consumer.”

The July 2014 study by NERA Economic Consulting reveals the rule change could reduce GDP by $270 billion per year and create $2.2 trillion in new compliance costs from 2017 to 2040.