EPW Blog

Full Committee hearing on Update on the Latest Climate Change Science and Local Adaptation Measures

Opening Statement of Senator James M. Inhofe Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Full Committee hearing entitled, "Update on the Latest Climate Change Science and Local Adaptation Measures." I must say it feels like we're back to the good old days. It may be hard to believe, but it was in February of 2009, during the height of the global warming alarmist movement, that this committee last held a hearing on global warming science. Back then we heard promises from the Obama administration of a clean energy revolution with green jobs propped up by billions in taxpayer dollars to companies like Solyndra.

Inhofe Asks EPA Not to Finalize PM NAAQS Until One Year After IG Investigation

Washington, D.C. - Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, sent the following letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explaining why EPA has a responsibility to reject a proposed settlement that would require finalization of the particulate matter (PM) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) before the end of the year. In the letter, Senator Inhofe says that EPA should wait to finalize any new NAAQS standards for a period of at least one year after the EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports on its investigation into EPA's mismanagement of key advisory committees and scientific data. Critical EPA failures in these and other areas could have direct bearing on the science which underpins the proposed and upcoming revisions to the PM and ozone NAAQS.

Inhofe questions excessive cost of ‘greening’ military

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), in a letter to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus requested a detailed report on the total cost of a recent event highlighting the U.S. Navy's great "Green Fleet" and expressed concern for the cost of "greening" the U.S. military at a time of drastic budget cuts.

Inhofe Applauds Committee Passage of North American Wetlands Conservation Act

Washington, D.C. - Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today welcomed the approval in the EPW Committee of S. 2282 the North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA) reauthorization, which passed in today's Business Meeting in a voice vote with overwhelming bipartisan support. Senator Inhofe and Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) are sponsors of the bill.

Inhofe Opening Statement: Full Committee Business Meeting

Opening Statement of Senator James M. Inhofe Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Full Committee Business Meeting Wednesday, July 25, 2012 10:00 AM Today's agenda includes several bills that the committee has been working on and I expect to support most of them. However, I would like to take a few moments to explain my concerns on S. 847 the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011 and then urge support of my colleagues on S. 2282 the North American Wetland Conservation Extension Act of 2012 (NAWCA).

Obama Punts on Yet Another EPA Regulation Before Election

"The delay of this rule is just one more indication that EPA needs to undergo economic evaluations before moving full speed ahead with an agenda that destroys jobs and damages the economy." Washington, D.C. - Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, responded to the announcement today that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will extend the deadline for issuing the final 316(b) rule to July 27, 2013.

EPW Republicans Disappointed Democrats Derailed Bipartisan TSCA Reform

Link to Letter Washington, D.C. - Four Environment and Public Works (EPW) Republicans, Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Senators David Vitter (R-LA), Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) today sent a letter to Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) expressing disappointment that Democrats chose to derail the bipartisan progress the EPW committee had made in efforts to modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and are instead moving forward to markup a highly partisan bill. The Senators expressed concern that such a move will fail to advance meaningful TSCA reform in the long term, and said that although they are disappointed that Democrats abandoned their agreement to proceed in a bipartisan fashion, EPW Republicans will continue in their efforts to develop legislation that can achieve these much-needed reforms.

Inhofe, Vitter Introduce Government Transparency and Recordkeeping Act

Washington, D.C. - Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Senator David Vitter (R-LA) late last week introduced the "Government Transparency and Recordkeeping Act," a bill which requires that all records of individual payments under 31 U.S.C. 1304, the Judgment Fund, are reported to Congress and made available to the public. As the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Senator Inhofe has been requesting that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate how much the Judgment Fund has paid relating to the environmental statues under the jurisdiction of the committee, but over the past ten years even GAO has had difficulties obtaining complete records.

Inhofe: Jolly “Green Fleet” Throwing Defense Dollars Out to Sea

Link to Recording of Green Fleet Conference Call Washington, D.C. - This week, as the U.S. Navy's "Great Green Fleet" took to the seas for a three day demonstration off the coast of Hawaii, Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said that the last thing the Department of Defense (DoD) needs as it faces drastic budget cuts is to be forced by President Obama to waste billions of taxpayer dollars on an outrageously expensive green energy agenda. Senator Inhofe also commented on a conference call regarding the green fleet held today between reporters and Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, President Obama's climate chief Heather Zichal, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. A recording of the call can be found here.

Inhofe Op Ed: The Not-So-Great Green Fleet

Link to Letter from Senator Inhofe to President Obama on repealing Section 526 Link to Wired: How the Navy's Incompetence Sunk the 'Green Fleet' The Hill The not-so-great 'Green Fleet': President Obama's skewed national defense priorities By Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) Link to Op Ed As the Department of Defense (DoD) faces drastic budget cuts, the last thing the military needs is to be forced by President Obama to spend billions of taxpayer dollars on an expensive green energy agenda.

Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Urges FWS to Make ‘Not-Warranted’ Decision on Lesser Prairie Chicken

"There are many similarities between Lesser Prairie-Chicken conservation efforts and the successful efforts that led to a not-warranted decision for the Sand Dune Lizard." Link to Letter Washington, D.C. - Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today sent a letter to Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Director Dan Ashe urging FWS not to list the Lesser Prairie-Chicken (LPC) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) because the circumstances surrounding the species are very similar to those which led to the Sand Dune Lizard not having to be listed. The letter was signed by the entire Oklahoma delegation including Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), Representative James Lankford (R-OK), Representative Tom Cole (R-OK), Representative John Sullivan (R-OK), Representative Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Representative Dan Boren (D-OK), along with members representing the following States: Texas - Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Representative Blake Farenthold (R-TX), Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX), Representative Michael Conaway (R-TX), Representative Francisco "Quico" Canseco (R-TX) and Representative Randy Neugebauer (R-TX); Kansas - Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), Representative Lynn Jenkins (R-KS), Representative Kevin Yoder (R-KS) and Representative Mike Pompeo (R-KS); New Mexico - Representative Stevan Pearce (R-NM); and Colorado - Representative Corey Gardner (R-CO).

Inhofe Speech: Cooling Down the Rhetoric on Recent Global Warming Coverage

Mr. President, today I would like to help provide a sense of balance and accuracy which is clearly lacking in the mainstream media's attempt to drum up global warming hysteria due to the recent weather events across the country.

EPA’s crucifixion expert lands a new job

Washington Examiner Ron Arnold Link to Column Link to Inhofe EPW Press Blog Alfredo Armendariz was director of the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 6 -- Texas and four surrounding states -- when Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., unveiled a 2010 video of him saying his policy was analogous to ancient Romans overtaking villages: They would crucify the first five men they saw as an example to potential lawbreakers.

Senators Boxer and Inhofe Applaud Final Passage of Bipartisan Landmark Transportation Bill

Washington, D.C. -- Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member, issued the following statement today after the Senate voted 74 to 19 to pass the bipartisan House-Senate transportation conference report, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21). This legislation provides $105 billion for the nation's surface transportation programs over two years, and it continues the current level of funding plus inflation through FY 2014. The House passed the measure earlier today with an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 373 to 52. The legislative package, which also includes provisions related to student loans and flood insurance, will now go to the President to be signed into law.

NRC IG Report Serves as Vindication for Four “Courageous” NRC Commissioners

Washington, D.C. - Today, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Office of Inspector General released a report requested by Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, which confirms that as Chairman of the NRC, Gregory Jaczko was undermining the collegial function of the Commission by using "intimidating and bullying tactics" to push his own objectives, and that his testimony before Congress in December 2011 was "inconsistent, in five areas, with testimony provided to OIG by NRC senior officials." Senator Inhofe said that the report is vindication for the four Commissioners who had the courage to come forward to try to resolve the problem of Mr. Jaczko's abuse of his power. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), David Vitter (R-LA), and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) joined Senator Inhofe in requesting today's NRC IG report. Before the release of the report, Mr. Jaczko announced that he would resign upon confirmation of his successor.

‘Big Win’ for Obama-EPA a Huge Loss for the Heartland

Washington, D.C. - Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, commented on today's Federal Court ruling on the Obama Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) greenhouse gas regulations.

EPA Adjusts Rules for Cement Kilns after Courts Rein in the Agency’s Overreaching Agenda

Washington, D.C. - Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, responded to today's announcement that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will reduce the regulatory burden on Portland cement makers and delay the compliance deadline for two years, saying that this is the latest in a long list of Agency actions that have had to be reined in because EPA exceeded its authority. This announcement follows a federal court ruling last December that halted a part of the 2010 Portland Cement rule, sending EPA back to revise particulate matter emissions limits for existing and new kilns.

Inhofe Vows to Keep Fighting to Hold EPA Accountable

Washington, DC - Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today said following the Senate vote on SJR 37 that the effort behind his resolution provided the opportunity for those who will be most severely impacted by the Obama-EPA's war on coal to have their voices heard in the Senate - and to see which Senators are listening. Senator Inhofe added that as the Senate debated his resolution over the past few months, EPA's radical agenda was thoroughly exposed, and he vowed that he will continue fighting to put a stop to President Obama's war on oil, natural gas, and coal. Senator Inhofe's resolution would have prevented the Obama-EPA from implementing its Utility MACT rule - one of the most expensive regulations in history - and sent EPA back to the drawing board to craft a more workable rule. Today 46 Senators voted in favor of the measure. Today 46 Senators voted in favor of the measure; it needed 50 votes to pass.

Inhofe Welcomes Testimony from Oklahoman Darren Smith on Hydraulic Fracturing Before EPW Committee

Washington, D.C.- Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today welcomed Darren Smith, Environmental Manager at Devon Energy Corporation, before the EPW Committee to discuss EPA's new air rules for natural gas wells that are hydraulically fractured. Mr. Smith is the second Oklahoman to testify before the EPW Committee on natural gas issues. Last year, Senator Inhofe was pleased to welcome Jeff Cloud, Vice Chairman of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, before the EPW Committee.

Inhofe CNN Op-Ed: Obama-EPA Mercury rule at center of the war on coal

By James Inhofe, Special to CNN June 19, 2012 Link to Op-Ed (CNN) -- On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate will have the opportunity to put a stop to one of the most expensive Environmental Protection Agency rules in history: the Mercury and Air Toxic Standards rule. This is the centerpiece of President Obama's war on coal.