Transcripts For CSPAN2 EPA 20240703

This hearing is just under three hours. [background noises] with the committee will come to order. You declare recesses of the committee at any time. Opening statements but before my Opening Statement id like to also request unanimous consent to submit chairman lucas Opening Statement for the record might not recognize myself for five minutes for an Opening Statement. I like to welcome everyone to this mornings hearing science and technology the Environmental Protection agency. I am pleased to welcome epa administrator Michael Regan for the very first time in front of the Science Committee. In fact this was the first time any epa administrators testified since 2019 so we certainly have a lot here to discuss. So thank you for coming. While ir appreciate you joining us today have to say her testimony was sent to the committee unacceptably late. Work are witnesses to share the written testimony no less than 48 hours ahead of our hearing. This is not an arbitrary deadline for our members the time to review your statement so we can fully prepare for these discussions and ask thoughtful inform questions. We invited you to testify in july said plenty of time to meet this deadline. While i know you have an internal review process, Previous Administration witnesses have had no problem getting us there testimony on time. Given the importance of science at epa, its my hope and chairman lucas us the administer will come before this committee regularly in the future. I expect the next time you will join us will have your testimony ahead of time so we could have we can have themost productive n possible. I anticipate that much of todays conversation will focus on the use of science and technology in epa regulatory. And when necessary the regulatory agenda. And although it has been a while since we have heard it, every epa administrator that has come before our committee has stressed the need for scientific integrity at the epa the importance of relying on the expertise of career staff and scientists in crafting the regulations and policies of the agency. That reliance on science is especially important today given the fact that the bite administration epa has a promulgated 1083 rules to date thats nearly 55 rules a month as the president took office. There is no industry exempt from the wide range of topics these rules cover from pesticides and agriculture to admissions for power plants, to chemicals and manufacturing regulations have the potential to hamstring our economy if not achievable based on science. Administrator epa to set Ambitious Goals reducing emissions from the power sectors by 80 having two thirds of the cars be zero omission nearly emy eliminating all methane emissions in the country just to name a few. Admirable as those may be we simply cannot set goals without analyzing the economic and social cost to achieve them. Switch off domestic fossil production list of reliable and affordable replacement. Otherwise hospitals and military bases would go dark, families would struggle to make ends meet. Businesses would close and live to be lost. We need to be realistic about what these goals require from the people we serve. Additionally todays hearing is odan opportunity to get an updae from the administrator on the wonder billiondollar influx of funding the agency has received into the ij and i are a pretty matter what side of the political spectrum is set on the space of spending a son. Deniable ebola for waste fraud and abuse. Thisis finding is that the potential to positively impact crucialt sectors of our economy also see potential to fund wasteful projectsca that line te pockets of select environmental groups and prop up technology that will never achieve success on their own in the market. We must carefully examine the agency processes and set up new programs, get money out the door and monitor the progress of projects well into the future. I want to thank the administrator for being here today. Ill end with a sentiment testifying is a lot like a doctors appointment. While purposely looking for things that are wrong you will hear criticisms on how things look it is because he went to prevent actions and turning into unfixable problem. Everyone here was it effective smoothly running Environmental Protectionwhlo agency. Today is a necessary step to ensure that part i hope we can Work Together to ensure epas doing things or people are not two people. I now would like to recognize the rankingfr member of the judgment from california for her Opening Statement. Thank you veryst much. Thank you administrator at reagan for being here with us today. Before saying anything else i just want to sayay how delightei am to see chairman lucas back here we are wishing you continued success on your recovery but wehi stand ready to do whatever we can to assist and its just really terrific to see you back. I also want to discuss the epa research and development work. The epa has a unique and Important Mission to but human and Environmental Health at the center of everything they do. The office of research and development serves a crucial role in that mission. Drives the science officers depend on to ensure they help set protective standards. Puts out stateoftheart assessments that state, local, tribal governments rely on to protect the residents. Epa laboratories across the country monitor effort pollutants, foil for soil for contaminants and water to track viruses including covid 19. All americans, whether they know it or not, depend on epa to deliver on its clear mandate to Prioritize Health and safety above all else. Under your leadership the cpa has made incredible efforts to bring this mission to Environmental Justice communities. These communities have on the front lines of devastatingth pollution by industry and sometimes by the federal government itself. Some bear an incredibly high risk of cancer due to unfettered dumping by chemical companies. Others were environmental contaminants and anemic government responses will have irreversible impact on their childrens development. They have been neglected in programs that have prioritize clean water, Energy Efficiency and Climate Resilience and other better resourced areas. Epat. New office of environmentl justice and external civil rights plays an important step in addressing these needs and connecting these communities with muchneeded information and resources. Im proud of the work we did in the last congress to fund this effort. The Inflation Reduction Act provided 41 billion to the agency to advance Environmental Justice. The bipartisan infrastructure law included 50 building to include Water Infrastructure and quality. Aclook forward to hearing how congress can continue to support this important work. I would be remiss not to note the larger context of this meeting today we are hurtling towards a Government Shutdown. There is infighting taking priority over the function of the government and by consent of the health and wellbeing of all americans. Of ministry at reagan is the perfect witness to put this into perspective. Weve seen at least 20 feet weather and climate related disasters with losses exceeding 1 billion. In the thick of her contusion how will epa determine it is safe to drink the water following the next devastating storm. Epa provides Rapid Response to manmade disasters as well. What theres another catastrophic Train Derailment like we saw earlier this year in ohio . Epa can effectively respond and form evacuation orders if their hands are tied by this manufacture crisis. I hope your testimony can inform the largeref body of just how my serious consequences of the shutdown we face would exist. As you know from my previous comments i also want to raise the issue of the last leaded fuelel and transportation. That is leaded fuel in general aviation airlines. We have a situation where children are being poisoned by the lead in these fields. We have a study out of my own county showing the Airborne Partnership particles from emissions in small planes i have actually elevated the lead in the blood level of children near that airport to rival flint michigan. We to do something soon and aggressive about this healthle problem im hoping you can talk further about that as the this yeargoes on. But that mr. Chairman i look forward to our witness testimony in ourth opportunity to ask further questions and i yieldu back. Thank you to the Ranking Member pronounced interest term of the full committee mr. Lucas for an Opening Statement regrets think it mr. Charbonneau my official Opening Statement has been entered into the record. I would like it thank just a moment for thanking the member and the subcommittee chairman who handled terms what ive been on that matter the memberd shod up on both sides of the room. This committee is a very productive committee. We are very focused. Your ability to accomplish thing in my absence and very appreciative of. While i may move a little slower for a little bit longer i have Great Expectations about what we are going to accomplish in the rest of the session and again thank you to all my college youve been wonderful. I yield back mr. Chairman. Thank you it mr. Chairman i would now like to recognize the gentlewoman from North Carolina to introduce our witness. Correct thank you, mr. Chairman. Again it is wonderful to see chairman lucas back. We have missed him he has been such a great leader of this committee. It is a privilege introduce my friend and fellow north carolinian administrator Michael Regan. Hisea distinguished service at e North Carolina department of Environmental Quality set a strong example for other states around the country. Now we are sharing him with the whole country. He has been a real champion in addressing contamination. Y. Might North Carolina calling congressman rouser and i have seen the worldclass Water Treatment facility on the river and our state and local government would not have gotten to this point without administrator reagans outstanding work in this work. He and his staff are working tirelessly to tackle the contamination problem and many others. He recognized us we have a duty at the federal level to protect the health and safety of our people. Our communities and our environment in order to move this country forward. Thank you for your leadership administrator regan and i look forward to hearing your testimony. Thank you, mr. Chairman and i yield back up. Thank you. Minister to reagan you are now recognized for five minutes to present testimony. Good morning everyone and interment lucas thank you for personally invited me in april at the House Agriculture Committee to join you today. I am glad to be a great Ranking Member lofgren and members of opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the role of science at the Environmental Protection agency. Protecting Public Health and the environments epas privilege and greatest responsibility. As a science based agency sound and reliable science who all of our work. Epa continues to uphold the Bidenharris Administration commitment to rely on science of Public Health and environmental challenges the Climate Crisis, lead, air quality, Water Quality, wild fires, threats to Childrens Health and many others. As we give this important work we are guided by the fundamental belief the health of, people of our environment and our economy go handinhand. Weve a golden opportunity not only make committees healthier and safer but deliver lifechanging programs in these communities that can catalyze local Economic Growth and good paying jobs. We are committed to scientific integrity to help us achieve our ambitious climate and economic goals. Our dedicated talented staff or consummate Critical Issues and im looking forward to sharing some of our work with you today. Overie the past two years weve taken strides to ensure all people of access to clean and safe Drinking Water. Paid for fartoo long Communities United states have been exposed to harmful. That is why in october 2021 epa released its strategic roadmap. According strategy to protect the public and environment from this deadly chemical compound. As continue to develop we note more now than ever. How it can cause Adverse Health impact can devastate entire communities. Earlier this year epa proposed firstever legale limit informd by the hard work in the coming months. While scientists help us make significant progress was still a lot of work to do. To increase our understanding. Scientists are focus on methods to detect and measure the environment and under sink the e risk it has on our health or ecosystem and on ways we can reduce in the already in our environment. Epa will continue making progress and other stakeholders including congress to enact and implement the false solutions of all the science and stand the test of time. Science is not just about finding problems its about fixing them. That is why im grateful to congress for providing 10 billion for the bipartisan infrastructure ought to address emerging contaminants which we have begun distributing. I am hopeful and optimistic science will lead to a cleaner and healthier future for all. Epa is using science help address many of the issues wildfires present her health into our. Environment. Over the past 20 years the numbers of acres burned annually due to wildfires in the United States has doubled. Wildfires are major source of air pollution and omissions can travel thousands of miles. Impact of the health of millions. This past summer we saw smoke from wildfires encountering dangerous airir pollutions to te midwest and east coast and last month we saw how wildfires and mauind brought on immeasurable loss to families, homes, and businesses. Each year scientists to develop new ways to model and monitor thosee emissions and are workig to understand what additional toxins might be present in the smoker particular from wildfires across into urban areas and burnet man made structures but less like to speak about the work our agency is done involving lead exposure science is clear there is no safe level of exposure to lead. Epa is and has been a leader and present by the whole of government approach to protecting families and children from lead exposure. To date this industry has funded the removal of over 100,000 lead Service Lines. That number will significantly increase thanks the bipartisan for structure law. Our scientists will continue to research and develop new ways to reduce lead exposure until we meet present by its goal of replacing one 100 of lead Service Lines. Epa is committed to taking actions that are backed by sound quality peerreviewed science. From our actions to address and biclean up pfas to providing information to help people during wildfires. Two decision help the nations ranking and recreational waters, science is the backbone of all we do at epa. One part of the foundation we have laid, theres so much more work to do to ensure allng of or children have safe Healthy Places to live, learn, and played with thank you for the opportunity to be here and submit testimony for the record forward to our continued partnership and to achieve these ambitious yet necessary goals. And i welcome all questions thank you. Quick to think administered a first testimony think again sir. The chair recognizes himself for five minutes. Chemistry companies in ohio generate roughly three and a billion in earnings 1. 3 billion in taxes and exports in the production plants exceed 6. 5 billion. As im concerned by the epa proposed updates thefo neurochemicals regulation under the toxic subsidy control act. Tsca particularly as it relates to pfas the manufacturing of semi conductors for the Semiconductor Industry as far as saying this proposed action would have a devastating effects u. S. Competitiveness and result in the Semiconductor Industry being unable to manufacture devices in the usa. Administrator regan has epa measured the economic consequences of theseuc actions and has the epa sought input from the department of commerce which is investing 50 billion in the u. S. Semi conductors your agency might completely shut down . First i would like to say during my time a state regulator ive spent time with families, mothers and children who have been poisoned by pfas prefacing it first hand with that being said about that experience to epa. I believe we are developing very responsible regulations but yes i have both the leadership of the National Association of manufacturers. Ive met with the American Chemistry Council prep met with industry. There is a way we can do this but we protect the environment and people and economic development. Theyre not mutually exclusive. I have been in these conversations as late as last week with Industry Leaders and ceos but there is a path forward. Again we do not the copper was Global Competitiveness will be protected from is in our communities for quick thank you for that answer if you rework the department of commerce at our site and input from them in general . Yes. The president pledged from day one approaching pfas be a whole of government approach. Not one of the department of commerce i said in a conversation of the secretary of defense and the secretaries of agriculture for ep is not doing any of this work in a vacuum because we understand the impact it has on our society mimics communication is key i agree march i wrote with you along some of my colleagues requesting information on the process and procedures the epa has taken clamp efforts for the east appel seen Train Derailment in my home state of ohio. Just a week or so ago interagency communication obtain show several chemical Environmental Monitoring experts were not part of the Disaster Response and sleigh full month after the derailment. Even more alarming to epa owned scientists discuss their concerns regarding the lack of testing for dioxins a highly toxic chemical even former director of the national toxicologygy program set epas response, lots of thinking went on so administrator regan are there actions epas taken toie rim mae this delayed response to sampling and instill public trust and scientific findings . Express i like to say epa was on site within hours of the derailment and we are still there. We have been working hard around the clock. I think what we have done in literms of having our conversations internally and externally is looking at the appropriate response to at the sciencewe determines. Now, we never believed bite dioxin was present but since the community was alarmed and so many people asked foror that we decided to Institute Additional for dioxin which we did not find. In which we did we wanted to do that not just to alleviate the concerns of those in the community but as we exported the waste to other waste facilities across the country they have those questions as well. My decision was we need to do the testing bring to it quickly because we do not in the interruption in the cleanup and export of that waste by standby the science and i believe weve done exactly what we need to do to protect that community. The community. Thank you. As a major criticism of apawe response of the Agency Deference to the Railroad Company giving so much authority to them in conducting sampling and crafting the protocol to do so response or letter epa said there no plans for the agency to perform longterm studies other organizations undertake such efforts. Given this criticism does epa still stand by that plan . If so what steps we take to verify the accuracy of the studies and protect the citizens of ohio . I think i said it fairly civil from day one but were going to hold the perpetrator accountable. Norfolk southern just like any other perpetrator is on the hook to foot the bill to do the work with appropriate oversight for bpa. Listen, we have been overseeing the cleanup work from day one. Norfolk southern hasnt everything to date that we have asked for. I think you saw for the president s executive order last week there other agencies involved. We will continue to sample. We will continue to monitor we will continue to stay there with the people there other agencies that have been brought into longerterm studies looking into some things that go along with very serious disaster like this one for. Think administrator. The one thing i will say when i wrap up if you do me a favor i really do mean if you could talk to the president get him to coe to Easter Palace team. He said he would, we would like them to come. Because of political affiliation it would really mean a lot for think theyve gone through. I yield back and out recognize Ranking Member for five minutes of questioning. Thank you mr. Chairman administrator i want to ask you a question first about the subject i referenced in my Opening Statement. Its something i have been dealing with for quite some time. Leaded fuels are the primary fuel for piston while aircraft. Jets dont use commercial airlines dont use leaded fuel. It is just the piston while small aircraft. Which comprises the bulk of the general aviation sector breed centers for Disease Control and prevention has concluded based on scientific studies there is no known safe level of lead in the blood. What this means is residence near general aviation airports live it with lead exposure in the air and ground every day. Th now as i mentioned there is a small airport in the district i represent. The county of santa clara commissioning Scientific Study and found the blood levels of children in the neighborhood surrounding the airport had led levels that were rivaling that in flint, michigan. And so it is very important we get the lead out of this last part of transportation and protect the children of this country. Congress instructed the faa to come up with an alternative towe leaded gas but they have not been able to get the job done. More recently various groups have petitioned epa to finalize their endangerment fighting related to leaded gas. I am hopeful the fighting will force the ffa and industry to come up with the plan to stop poisoning children with leaded fuels bird can you provide us with an update to where this effort stands . Congressman first of all i would agree with you there is absolutely no acceptable level of lead for any of us but especially our children. So epa has been very active in this area. Working very hard following the science but violently process for lead endangerment finding in this area. We are making significant progress and we believe will have the endangerment finding wrapped up i believe this fall. That process is moving along in a very scientific and orderly way. We are in the fall we could expect this quite soon . Yes it will be done this fall may be late fall but this fall. I do now to prejudge or predetermine the outcome but what i want to tell you it was women very methodical in discipline making this determination for. Thank you very much. I just want to touch on another matter im sure you knows everyone in america knows the House Majority has us on the brink of going into what i think a very irresponsible governmento shutdown. I dont think Speaker Mccarthy y seems to have a plan to keep the government open. I think thats going to cause real harm to the country and a real harm to our constituents. I am really concerned about the efforts and effects of a shutdown on the epa. Could you describe the effects of a shutdown on the epas work . I am gravely concerned as well. I think the epa has a mission to protect Public Health and the environment. While we do have some good systems in place, there is eight trust but verify method to that. All of our inspections of our Hazardous Waste facilities, those will be suspended the inspections of our Water Quality our Drinking Water, those inspections will be suspended. I thank you all a very thoughtful and congressionally directed projects that will help your districts, that work will be suspended. The Emergency Personnel and those essential personnel will be there to handle emergencies. But a lot of essential work will begin to slow down. By the way we think of pesticides and herbicides and or toxic review to get new chemicals in the market so that our farmers are not guessing, that work slows down. I have grave concerns about a potential shutdown for. Thank you administrator for your testimony paper answering my questions, for being here today. And that hell back the balance of my time. Thank you to the Ranking Member are now recognized the chairman mr. Lucas to be. Thank you, mr. Chairman administrator reagan thank you for accepting the invitation to come testify before the Science Committee. We had a good discussion that day the committee did on both sides of the room and the Egg Committee and clearly the issues that we both address this committee you and your agency are so intertwined it is important to be here. But let me ask about an issue thats near and dear to my heart. The epas expected to shortly finalize its methane proposal which includes a super emitter response program. Allowing private entities including i fear non trained nongovernmental officials to report super emitter events that require followup action without any agencyan involvement or data verification. Equally alarming to me the proposed rule as it appears to be headed our way would establish two Technology Standardse hate less stringent one for the non trained a third party more stringent one for the industry. So i ask this, why is the proposed rule so prescriptive in the Technology Industry is allowing to used to detect admissions but has a much lower standard for environmental activists . While the epa to maintain a list of false reports and set up prohibitions on repeat offenders . You see were my concert is coming from for. I do, i do appreciate the question. Let me just say we have received over 500,000 comments of the proposed rule i have personally spent time regrets is this something you need that many comments because i personally spent time with a number of industry ceos talk but these very issues. What i caniv say is we take the comments. Very seriously. We are looking at how to strengthen all the issues you have raised of the final rule will acceptably address all these issues. Let me just say that we do not want any adverse impacts or unintentional consequences to receiving any kind of false data or any kind of data that jeopardizes scientific integrity that we built into this program. We are looking every single issue raised i can guarantee you we are responding in kind. We do not want to create a system that would appear to the outside world to be hiring a bounty hunters have a lot more flexibility than those who are being pursued so to speak right or wrong. I appreciate that. The same methane role proposed calls for new compliance requirements facilitiesst within two months of the rule being finalized. A number of Industry Groups have flagged the supply chain supplyn constraints for a range of equipment are certain to cause a delay in meeting that short deadline. And at the same time i am aware of only one application to the epa from a Company Seeking to use new technology and detecting leaks at oil and natural gas facilities. So administrator, given the current state of supply chain the lack of Innovative Technologies approve too lightly vertical epa consider pushing the deadline for complying with agencies forthcoming methane rules give a little more flexibility . We are giving a lot of thought to compliance flexibility in compliance and deadlines. And again just last week of the week before last i set no some industry ceos to talk about this very issue and how we balance the potential impacts to the supplychain. So yes, we are having these discussions. I want to continually say a proposal is just that. Its meant to spark a lot of good conversation and quite frankly i am really proud of the conversations we have had with api, with exxon with ep and others about how we think of these very complex issues. We all believe there is a technical solution the question is how quickly can we get there . I think we have some positive conversations about that. As you well know, where i live inis oklahoma as a Traditional Oil and gas. Natural gas area. Nothing is money. And the way the equipment, the way the transmission systems with the processing handles has changed dramatically in the last four years because you lose it methane it you lose money and they understand that. Mr. Administrator i appreciate that we will keep a very close eye as these rules work the width of the process. But again thank you for coming. And i suspect over the course of the coming months and years theyll be a number of opportunities but we will invite youat back to discuss our common focus on science and the effective use of it. With that mr. Chairman, thank you mr. Administrator i yield back. X think it mr. Chairman i reckon its her five minutes provides think itll mr. Chairman welcome back chairman lucas and administrator reagan thank you for joining us today. I want to start by letting myself with rep Ranking Memberel lofgren as it represents a very hillsboro oregon airport wont emphasize again the importance of leadd pollution. Mr. Administrator, protecting Public Health and the environment the epa mission requires strengthening not cutting programs that are proven to work in thank you administrator for your commitment the work of the epa will be informed by a rigorous and quality science. The Climate Crisis is causing more dangerous air quality as we recently experienced from that dense smoke caused by the canadian wildfires we experience wealth are disasters in oregon as well. 2021 transportation sector thcontributed nearly one third f Greenhouse Gas emissions in the United States which amplified climate events disproportionally affects vulnerable communities. Their effective20 solutions to o carbonized transit and transportation sectors. For example at northwest oregon the Beaverton Oregon School District is investing in quieter and electric school buses. Portland has electric fire truck which i got to write on. And dime alert trucks is leading the way to electrified the commercial freight Trucking Industry. But in light of record high temperatures we just scale ups. And expedite this work so administered it reagan needless to say very concerned about the majority Budget Proposal that would cut funding for the epa science and Technology Account by 42 zero out funding for the agencys Vehicle Electrification effort. How would these cuts affect epa research and development of admission reducing technology . Thank you for that question. It would significantly hamper progress. I think in prioritizinge people first we know these emissions from vehicles are very harmful for Public Health and human health. Especially women think about our children our most precious cargo who run to and from school each day breathing those diesel fumes we to talk about what you are ye talk to but exacerbate the Climate Crisis. I would like to say the technology in the markets arean driving thisst electrification. What we are trying to do is propose regulations that can really capture that while also thinking about fuels, advanced biofuels and others that really contribute to the whole low Carbon Technology transition that we want to see that advances our economy combats the Climate Crisis really does protect Public Health. We cant do that without the proper budget. We need the people, when the scientific rigor, winning Technical Analysis and we need the Economic Analysis to go these efforts were. Actually agree withat you. Now is not the time to cutting epa budget. Administrator reagan the Supreme Court precision versus the epa narrowed the definition of waters of the nineca states whih limited epa scope of authority to regulate under the clean water act. So, in light of that opinion has epa working to protect clean water and how might these efforts be made more difficult by potential Government Shutdown . Listen i pledge from day one to file the science and follow the law. The Supreme Court spoke we immediately sprung into action to address the prescription that they gave to us. With that we are having to look at all of our programs to be sure we are leveraging all of our resources and Statutory Authority toto protect Water Quality, our Drinking Water and wetlands we have to do this. Its good for the ecosystem but as you all know our wetlands serve as natural filters for some of the emerging compounds as well. We are going to use all of our authority to do so will complying with the law. I Government Shutdown pampers our ability to effectively engage. Especially with her Rural Communities dealing with emerging contaminant issues. Well be able to have confidence in Drinking Water. If we are not at work we cant do that. Thank you mr. Administrator just as a reminder many of our key environmental laws very strong bipartisan support. Manyha were signed into law by then president nixon. This should not be a partisan issue clean air clean water critical to the people of the United States but also to our planet. And as site yield back i want to know in your testimony you mentioned about native c graph can store carbon coaster resilience of flooding of the bipartisan ocean carcass plus create jobs in coastal and Rural Communities. Ive hoping we can move that bill forwardrt soon. I look forward to talking about that in the committee and with the epa. Its a great opportunity to use the seagrass of kelp, mangroves as carbon but also restore habitat at the same time. I yield back, thank you, mr. Chairman for chrissy not recognize mr. Posey for five minutes of questions. See you administrator reagan. Last month the company my district that makes outboardd motors u. S. Navy seals was ratedby armed agents at the epa. I tried to get together and talk to about this but your office said it was enforcement sensitive i was not able to do that. Wonder how the epa that with a request seeking regulatory clarity involving National Security. Thank you for that question. I do have some limitations in terms of that specific case because of the office of the Inspector Generals investigation in epa. What i would say is a Clean Air Act gives us flexibility to look at Clean Air Act flexibilities for vehicles as it relates to National Security interest. I would love for our staff to get together think about whether or not the specific case outside of the investigation fits into a future discussion with the Clean Air Act flexibility. Thank you do think it might might bepossible to expect the n of First Responders like file, medical services and et cetera . Our folks have had conversations with those entities along with the manufacturers, have not really seen the need for thatt flexibility. I think most of our flexibility is reserved for National Security interests. But we are open to those discussions id love to get her stuff together to talk about that. This committee has come to learn epa has spent in that in theMillion Dollars on advancd combat equipment for enforcement operations. You briefly explain why we need advanced combat equipment and the Environmental Protection agency . Im not quite familiar with that piece there i will have to get back to you on that piece there were. Okay had more questions about that issue but ill respect that will get back together on it. Absolutely broke. Switching subjects epa Inspector General sent a memo to the agency in aprilha identifyig grant recipients were not required to disclose foreign support after receiving a gran. And foreign support during a grant period of performance. It also is a country like china could influence environmental findings the epa uses. And so just wondering if you are familiar with this memo. From the epa. And inquiring what steps the agency might take to ensure full transparency from brent recipients since reciting the memo. I ask unanimous consent to this memo into the record. It is dated april 13, 2020. Its a management implication report disclosure foreign support for epa research and grants piglets into the record. Im not quite sure if i know specifically what is in that memo. I can tell you we had taken a number of steps to strengthen our Research Grants and Disclosure Requirements consistent with ncaa of 2021. We have also responded to concerns raised by our office of Inspector General. We have updated the terms and conditions of our Research Grants to ensure grantees provide disclosures about sources of funding both before they get the grant and on an ongoing basis once they receive the grants. So we have responded to the ig suggestion there. Exactly, thats what i i wand to hear per thank you, mr. Chairman i yield the balance of my time too. Thank you. I know it recognize ms. Even survive in its own questions but. Think it was a chair and good morning i wanted to give you some accolades because you are the right person at the right time and your agency we have so appreciated your dedication to issues important to us in michigan print i will never forget being with you after we passed the infrastructure law celebrating the clean up money that had been dedicated to the great lakes parade so thank you for your time in michigan. And for your great leadership of theth agency. As you probably know the United Nations estimates the equivalent 2000 garbage trucks of plastic is dumped into the worlds oceans, rivers and lakes every single day. Addressing plastic pollution and improving recycling infrastructure is just absolutely essential. I have long been a supporter of this work my very first year in congress as a chair of the research and Technology Subcommittee on this very committee we convene the first ever Committee Hearing on recycling and about a decade. We called on the epa to create a National Strategy for recycling. Fii was pleased to see the epacl released its National Strategy for recycling in 2021. Then we went on to found the force. I wanted to ask you this, administrator. Could you provide an update on the National Strategy to prevent plastic pollution and how this strategy will support epas work in reducing plastic pollution at large . Absolutely. First of all i would say thank you for your leadership inte ths area. As i have traveled the country ive been to probably more than 35 states and over 10 countries. The number to issue young peope talk to me about our plastics and recycling. Ad and so in april we released our Draft National strikes reducing plastic pollution. We reduce that for comment. We received over 100,000 comments we are combing through right now. We plan to do our due diligence, follow signs, fold the data about the very strong strategy. And then i am really excited that thanks to the bipartisan of a structure law and thanks to congress we have recently disturbed over to 75 million and solid waste infrastructure for recycling grant to help states and local governments with this very issue. We are onthejob part we recognize how important it is were paying attention piglets we salute your agency for that grant work and look toward the future of infrastructure work that we are doing in the congress to support recycling infrastructure. Hoit seems like we are learning new things almost every day basis as it pertains to plastic wastee and recycling opportunities. Something else mr. Administrator i wanted to askin you the epa is conducting Vital Research across the board but particularly with water aquatic life sediments in the air of the great lakes. The epa Research Vessel is the largest Research Vessel in the epas fleet mode largest on the great lakes. Having this critical asset function bowl at Mission Ready is vital to the safety of our nations great lakes. So, i just wanted to give you a minute to provide any updates on that vital work of the Research Vessel lake guardian is doing in the great lakes of why this is important to the future of the lakes . That anything you could maybe add around cuts to epa and the work of this vessel for the health and safety of our great lakes . I think this is a vessel we are extremely proud of. Most people thanks it is truly ecosystem research. We know the impacts and effects of Climate Change are changing the physical structure of our great lakes. The great lakes provide Drinking Water to millions of people. This vessel is critical for Scientific Research in terms of ecological balance also preserving the security for Drinking Water for so many millions of people who we are proud the work that vessel is doing. Cuts in this area are at a significant cost to the people that rely on the great lakes for recreation and for sustenance. We are contending to advocate for those Research Dollars because science will drive the way to a lot of solutions that provide a lot of Economic Opportunity as well but. The monitoring remains critical for us. We have seen from times in the past the custer personnel have greatly damaged some of the work of my constituents rely on to maintain health and safety of our great lakes. With that mr. Chairman going to yield back, thank you. Think you know recognize refinements of questions. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Andns mr. Administrator thank yu for showing up in talking to us in answering questions. The epa has proposed multiple rules for regulating Greenhouse Gas. Admission to the power sector which i will refer to collectively as the proposed 111 ruled for this rule aims to cut the power sector Greenhouse Gas pollution 80 by 2030. But in reality according to some stated by utility providers themselves this will only serve to cost hundreds of billions of dollars significantly raise customer power bills require a rapid transition away from reliable american produced natural gas. Without a realistic plan to replace that generation. What i want to really focus on is is is based on politics rather than science. Affect one article quoted six people who said the white house sent the epa original proposal back to your agency requested it add more stringent requirements. So several questions. Did epa original proposal include regulation on existing gas plants only . Yes or no . What he think we have done we had are backandforth and interaction with experts from the white house on the construct of that rule. Think collectively we agreed the proposed rule should include existing resources or existing production. Quick to seem to have devolves away from just existing. Did the white house ask your agency to change the proposal to include existing gas plants and future plants . We had a robust conversation interact epa and the white house. Ur the rule that came out of epa is a rule that is technological rigor and sound science but were proud of the role we proposed. Thanks. Whats happened since the rule proposed is different to the white house requestl the propol require coal plants to curb emissions 90 by 2035 or to retire . Listen our rule is a reflection of epa staff analysis. We have had conversations with the white house but i just want to really push back on the premise of the question. Since a signal the white house is dictating the rules epa proposes press it does send that signal so im asking questions. Please confirm or deny the white house did have some level of input on the proposed 111 rule quester. Absolutely have conversation with the white house on all of our rules. Thank you. Comedy staff assigned to us are employed by the White House Office employmentt policy. That has too be directed to the white house im not sure if progress okay how many scientists does the epa employ . I can get to that answer. How many question cuts many pair want to be exact. You believe epa employees who are scientists or some the best mind in their fields and knowledgeable the most uptodate science . Listen the absolute truth that part yes. But you probably see where im going with this breaking explain why epa scientists are being overruled by political appointees . Even if thats not the case were you say so dont think the very fact political appointees good to set the targets on the scientist have to crunch the numbers to make it happen and make it get there . That would make our skeptical public of this proposed rule. Wouldnt you agree significant public distrust in the epas in a massive problems that agenda . Whats that have to answer that is a top political appointees and say listen to my scientists at the myos scientist corroborae that. That rule reflects what i think its really hard technical rigor. But let me just say i have met in the past two three weeks with industry ceos on a lot of atthese issues. We are receiving a lot of feedback. I think the final rule will reflect the thinking of our scientists plus industrych scientists and how would land this final rule. Thank you very much i still have a little bit more time. Do you think these six individuals who i believe come out of the epa that spoke with this group gave us this information, where the six individual scientist . I am under the understanding that they were. Im not quite sure who the six individuals are you are referring to. Okay, thank you and i will yield back then. Thank you the chair recognize mr. Bowman for five minutes of questioning piglets thank you, mr. Chairman thank you so much mr. Administrator for being here today for exemplary leadership in protecting our environment and our communities. I like to ask about the environmental Technical Assistance centers were to have played a key role in funding and selecting. These 16 are going to be instrument to help vulnerable committees take advantage of climate infrastructure are and defunding. They are going to be crucial for big injustice for the reality. The epa to help getsi off the ground on how do you plan to stay involved in a process to make sure they are a success . Will they help coordinate betweenuc the state and local government and caboose applying for funds . Thank you for that question. Were really proud of the Technical Assistance centers it demonstrates the solutions arecc topdown for the federal government should not dictate all the solutions these Solutions Come from our communities. We provided Technical Assistance as you stated using 17 centers all across the country. Each of these centers have been awarded approximate 10 million. They have connected with local universities for their connect with local ngos have people who can provide the Technical Assistance to those who are the front lines at work in these communities. To your point yes regional administrators will bee involve. So will our new National Office of Environmental Justice and external civil rights who serves as a facilitator for all the work that we do to ensure an environment of justice and equity is central to every single thing we do be. Thank you so much for that answer. I would also like to ask about how our Public School system fits into your vision and plan for ira implementation . Also a secretary granholm about this when she joined us a couple weeks ago Public Schools as you are the heartbeats of our communities our next generation of stem and steam and steamy vis are Public School students. I showed to me schools are struggling right now toxic pollution, crumbling infrastructure, Inefficient Energy system impacts of extreme weather driven by Climate Change. Many cases these issues have to be addressed holistically. Could you please talk to us about what is happening epa and coordinated doe and other agencies help Public Schools take full advantage about relevant fundingng opportunitie . Absolutely for the first thing i would say iss . Doe is a very strong partner. The. E purpose is to ensure all f these communities in her state and local government understand the full breadth of Resources Available to reduce pollutions and climate pollution. We are excited about that in terms of our partnership with doe and other agencies. The Inflation Reduction Act creates billions of dollars for state and local government to apply for pollution reduction grant which we are excited to say our cities and or localities and are schools should be able to participate in the process for the think im most proud of is how Many School Districts across this country are applying for electric schoolbus and low carbon schoolbus branch. This is revolutionizing how children get to school reducing the burden so many of them face. Especially having asthma attacs in respiratory distress before they can even into the classroom at 8 00 a. M. So we are excited about that really excited about that. Thank you so much foror that. One final question can you give us a status update on justice for the implementation of epas perspective . What do you see as successes so support and challenges so far . Listen i have said this before and ill say it again. This is the floor for us. I believe we have designed a program and process it epa to ensure the most vulnerable are the first in line. Whether youre at appalachia West Virginia or the black belt of alabama there are communities open on the receiving end disproportionately. So in many of our programs with nutley met but exceeded. I think about resources coming from her superfundno program whn i think about programs where we distribute our Water Quality resources we are ensuring the communities who have not had a seat at the table have a seat at the table and get some of those protections. By the way many of our rule commuters across the country fit into that very category piglets thank you so much and again thank you for exemplary leadershipl i will back t mr. Chairman. You would not recognize mr. Bayard for five mental questions. You being here today. Anyway, the question i have really goes along with what congressman babbitt section 111 proposed rule. And specifically this proposed rule indicates Carbon Capture is a technology that can be used to comply with this rule. Carbon capture projects in many states and regions require the epa toqu issue class six wells r the injection of carbon. Soso my question is how many cls 6a well permits has the epa issued this year . I will have to get to the specific number this year. I note the most recent we are on track for looking at how West Virginia and louisiana can participate in the class six program. Its my understanding texas has just recently in august made a classics application. I will say thisio the president has pledged Carbon Capture technologies will be a part of how we move forward the class 6a well program is aligned with that and there is a commitment epa to get the classics permits out. Along that same line then, do anticipate more being in the pipeline as we move forward . I do. I anticipate we figured out some program efficiencies. Especially as we worked with louisiana and we work with West Virginia. We have identified a number of efficiencies and are prepared to move forward as expeditiously as possible. We see this as part of the solution. Not everywhere but some places on the country brick works all right and i think you make a great point. Because it helps answer the situation how can utilities make plans if they dont have and it itrequires the class six permit. So i guess im just making a comment and order for them to move forward we need to be moving forward with the class six permits. And now another area i would like to go into my colleague from ohio mr. Miller brought to your attention to discuss the epa handling of the East Palestine Train Derailment in general i hold the highest security for the heritage building in my area to handle the contaminated material. However, i felt the process was somewhat disorganized. As it was laid out in my constituents had extreme concerns about the fact that this material was moving to their area in indiana. And so senator and i wrote you a letter back in march. It took about 55 days to get an answer to that. So anyway, the questions i have relates to that letter. And if the chairman will allow i would like to submit that letter for the record. Without objection. These. Some of these were not approved yet is quite a distance from East Palestine and so how that Selection Process worked, and why some of these other site victory in liverpool, and some of those sites were not as likely. Thank you forte the question and so, you know, when we have a perpetrator of an incident, like the one in east policy, they are responsible for identifying and selecting the sites. From north to southern they gave us a list of sites that they were capable of hag these particular way streams and i know that they exhausted the number in ohio insights so they started to look at other states as well and its our job, once they submit the desired location to approve or disapprove based on the certification, and so that is what we did during that process and another because hes passing, was so highly visible, that there was a lot more controversy, around who is receiving these but i would agree with you that Companies Like these and others all across the country, received these kinds of ways all of the time and handed that hundred handled them of the utmost integrity and we did not anticipate anything different on this one tonight thank you very much for that answer and nac the name out of time so i just think that process really needs constant review and thank you. Thank you. I now recognize this ross for five minutes of questing. Thank you mr. Chairman and again,n, thank you administrator regan for being with us today and i also want to thank, all of your employees the Research Triangle headquarters and visited with him recently, they are inspired by your work in doing fabulous work there and its of the government does not shut down so that none of them have compromised paychecks over the next few weeks and months. Back to the faucet issue, as you know, the chemicals affect or Drinking Water, and crops in the air we breathe, the products we bring into our homes and make contaminated more than 2300 sites, across 49 states pretty polluting the Drinking Water, of an estimated, 200 million americans including, thousands of households in North Carolina as you know very well and these chemicals have been associated he with a wide range of serious ofHealth Effects including probable link to cancer, thyroid disease, lower fertility, and more. But we know very little about with these chemicals really are. Where they arere manufactured ad used, and how the market people are being exposed and it is vital for epa, to find it in a way that will not surprise the agency, the congress, states the public of information necessary to address their harmful effects efficiently and effectively read and unload Bipartisan Legislation that is twice past the house mother would direct the epa, to use a simple definition, a fiba and one fully chlorinated carbon atom that is consistent with the international consensus, the definition this definition would ensure that we have a full picture of the nature and extent of the effect enabling congress and the administration, to formulate an effective plan of action to address the problem. I am hopeful that the epa reporting real under the toxic substances control act, will help us capture the full picture of contamination in the u. S. How is apa going to ensure that is definition, accurate lee reflects the scope of the pollution crisis, and the wide range of chemicals, and communities are suffering from and in particular, the pollution from floral polymers, in North Carolina. Summa congresswoman think you for the question and so we have recently issued our third test order on this substance because we are in a continual collection mode of these Health Effects are to the point you made, there so many of these chemical compounds that are out in our environment we do not understand for the invocation so in terms of following the science and the law from a regulatory standpoint, live testing requirements under the order that would improve our understanding, and we have a national. Rick strategy, thatan spans not only are programs here but her cleanup program, or air programs in a Water Program summer really try to get our arms wrapped around when we do with winter reading in the environment heavily work with industry to ensure that we dont continue to put it into the environment. Okay great. And on a different topic a come of thiss administration has made significant investments in the transition to electric vehicles especially is made possible to the Infrastructure Investments in jobs act, and the Inflation Reduction Act pretty we have the privilege of speaking for secretary graham home in this Committee Earlier this month, about whether department of energy is doing to advance this transition. Can you elaborate on the work that epa is undertaking to advance this transition. Will i can say that we have a proposed rule, for cause in trucks that looks at the opportunity for electric vehicles to lower Carbon Pollution along with advanced biofuels and some of the technologies they can pull carbon out of theot year and you know, i left because i think that what we are doing is trying to codify a technology that industry is at the gates with and you have the Major Car Companies running milliondollar super bowl ads, talking about i quickly theyre theyre going to electrify the future we have in carbonbillion investment into manufacturing and ensuring that we could do this domestically. Our Technology Standards are not cars and trucks vehicles, ensure that we leverage of the full potential of electric vehicles to meet the demands of the admission reductions for the Climate Crisis and i think that we areth in line with where the industry and technologies are going and we wantin to be sure that we give industry the Regulatory Services to make those major investments. Thank you and i yelled back. And thank you and now recognize the next person for five minutes questing. Thank you very much and its regan for your willingness to be heren. Today and i would like to ask a question about Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds that epa is attempting to establish. The try to get 20 billion at the door this year which obviously is a staggeringly large amount of money to try to move in one year and recently had freedom of information act request revealed that the epa had a series of meetings last november with potential awards of grants from that fund and the raised concerns that the epa was picking winners and losers essentially is a normal practice to have meetings exclusive meetings with potential awardees of grants from offender particularly the Public Comment for that funom when it has not close yes. I would have to say that think we met the just about everybody under the sun, to try to predict and articulate the design for the intentions of the program and i would argue that you know, once we got the initial conversations, when we got into the design of the programs, we had a proper safeguards in place to be sure that everyone from nobody was unfairly advantage number two, those who could potentially be a recipient, would not be involved in the design discussions i can say that i met with private equity hedge funds andme capitol wall Street Commercial bankers but he also met with cfis essay local governments thats what we really tried to be sure that we understood so that the full breadth of the impact of this program and ith think, that you recognize that we do not under Design Competition so that those who are experts in leveraging capitol can take that 20 billion and pull hundreds of billions of dollars on the sidelines to advance and invest in low carbon technologies. Sure speaking of those safeguards, one of the things that was revealed through the freedom of information act request was the fact that a former senior attorney for sierra club was one of the required attendees from the epa had a meeting that included the sierra club and is that a conflict of interest when the fund is something you think would be impermissible. I would have to look into the specifics of that because this the first time that ive heard that and again, ive instructed and weve instructed number of conversations, that actually with the office of Inspector General and how to conduct in designst these programs and as r as i know, we are reading that letter of the law. All right will appreciate you you look into that i get back to us on a because obviously, we would never with the public to think thater government had his thumb on theu scale when he cae to it was eligible for and received funding from this grant fund. Absolutely. And talking for a moment that with Nuclear Energy and another were all aware that we have a bigg problem with the disposal f Nuclear Waste and regardless about ones thoughts are a Nuclear Energy, i think that we should all be able to agree that storing spent fuels and cash on the site at these decommissioned Nuclear Power plants, is not the best practice or keeping of our obligation to protect the environment, what is ep doing to try to promulgate longterm solutions to thisto problem. Hello would say that we work very closely with the department of energy onwe that issue in the me be clear, from the state of North Carolina with 50 percent of the base notice Nuclear Energy and we seen it as a low Emissions Technology that can help us combat the Climate Crisis in Public Health crisis is an issue so i think we have to take interest they labored under laser focus on how we store the waste and proliferation as we begin to also look at new and advanced modular Nuclear Technologies but i want to be clear we have worked very closely and handinhand the department of energy on how we handle the storage of that waste. Okay close keeping on working onon the solutions and i think that is something that is a goal that we all share. And lastly, talking about some of the pletter fast regulations that your agency is probably 80 i just want to send a cautionary note of the we sure the goal of providing clean and safe affordable Drinking Water to all americans but it is not enough just to establish new Detection Technologies and new regulations because if we are not giving our water agencies the tools to remove those hazardous chemicals from the water, really have not accomplish anything and we can generally put a new regulation of them in a Problem Solved well if theres other technology to remove that from the water or if its too expensivean or for thee agencies to build that into the cost of bringing water, makes it unaffordable he know we really have not solve the problem so i hope well Work Together on that in his humor times expired so think you were much for being here today and for your willingness to testify before the committee and the yield back. I know ricky nice mr. Sorensen for five minutes of questing. List thank you for convening his hearing, and administer regan for your willingness to appear before us and also is really great to see chairman lucas back in neuroscience many this morning and would like to think the administrator for visiting my hometown of Rockford Illinois earlier this year and to witness replacement of lead Service Lineses into homes families,s for solving problems in the district i represent, illinois 17th congressional ildistrict without some of the highest percentages of lead Service Lines of any district in the country thus congress would pass a bipartisan intersexual which included funds for leadpipe replacement in front of my colleagues for the work they put into the bill and the work that were doing today we are all doing today to keep the Community Safe and healthy but as well aware, congresses and appropriations as of right now, we do not have a set plan to fund the government beyond this weekend and to the government shut in hand, what would be the impact off that shut down, for the beneficial programs like lead service line replacement, that the epa is implementing. Will thank you for hosting the district and it really was a good day is always good day when you watch the extraction of lead Service Lines and you see families throughout the neighborhood celebrating. We run the risk of not seeing the celebrations if we have a shut down pretty civilly quick of the work just cannot get done we have 15 billion that we want to get out to eradicate lead Service Lines both on the public and the private side in this money tackles both of those and without the epa employees in place to do the work, we just hit the pause button and that exposes children, the elderly, everyday families exposes the more to the lead in the Drinking Water and before i was elected to congress, i serve my community as a meteorologist for 22 years i was on the first people to talk on local television about the impacts of Climate Change. And i representsi family farmers in western illinois that had generations to sing these books hold weather records they go way back and people understand as a that you and i do as well and i am proud of the john deere and company is focus on precision egg and lowering inputs and emissions and proud of the new amazon delivery trucks the retracts, have built in my districts, and the administration and i am thankful is focus on the Climate Crisis and permitting a whole of government approach could you elaborate on what role the epas playing in this government but also public and private approach to addressing the Climate Crisis thank you expand on how the epa is engaging in smaller communities to solve the crisis. Will appreciate that and ive spent a lot of time governor deal stock how he is voluntary and regulatory tools for our small Rural Communities as well as our larger communities and i think it takes a holistic approach and so, i spent a lot of time engaging the private sector and we cannot solve this problem without the private sector as we have great opportunities like this Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and the question raised about millions of dollars investments, but we also have a to engage with regulated the community and the Egg Community and how do we get the best technologies is a commercial scale to ensure that we are combating the Climate Crisis in another tool in the toolbox so i have a great deal of respect for usta requirements and doe for dot and the president sets the tone and he indicated from day one that we would all Work Together really glad you like each other because we are working together closely. What i hope feeling that hear from the Science Committee as well. Because this is a group of people here in congress that are here to solve the problems of thehe American People we put politics aside in this room and we solve the problem is we know they under there are real people and theres another generation that,e generation after that are going to look back into 2023, and say, what did we do as things were changing. It is gotta be a scientific approach and appreciate what you do with the epa and chairman i yield backwh the balance of my time and thank you. Thank you mr. Crawford i now recognize for five minutes of questioning. Thank you mr. Chairman think you for being here appreciate it, the epa recent silly proposal to vulnerable species pilots, which i have some concerns with and i think the most people in egg and for street, and other Pesticide Use or share that concern the requirements of this puzzle could be impossible to comply with which would prevent and produces from protecting the crops another property and out of four on the five producers will claim to no longer to be able to continue the farming relations if they are enacted obviously joe price the livelihoods of Rural Community so my question is can you riesling with epa feels need to put in placeho severe restrictis without even first looking at the science to determine is there a risk to endangered species and for them or how does this approach reconcile with epas response ability, under the endangered species acted to conduct the vector termination and the riskrm of the assessmen. Will i appreciate that question and thank you and we share our frustration here which is we have had 30 35 years of lack of compliance with endangered species hacked and as i have discussed frequently with secretary bosak attorney collectively tackle this issue in the course and now, taking the driver seat in terms of setting the bars pretty high on epa, not responding to and losing litigation recorded so what weve attempted to do this work very closely and her closely with usta and resolve some of these litigation issues and begin to expedite some of the reviews that would comply with the Court Guidance but also new products to the market and we do not want our farmers waking up and guessing everything a day what will be on or off the shelf and so. You mention ive heard you tell two different members, these coordinated have a good working relationship with usta so my question is, have you coordinated with fish and wildlife in this particular proposal about how does that reconcile with epas responsibility in the 2018 farmville and 23 consolidated appropriations act required for dosage with fish and wildlife and giving you credit for having coordinated with usta bs you indicated you have another federal per regulators pesticide mitigation. We have, and i think that we have looked at this issue and i look at this issue through very frustrated lens because i inherited a mess but we have to solve it. I dont mean to interrupt my time is limited so i understand you correctly, a lot of this is now the hook and house of course and is that correct. A lot of itt has been course have made rulings and where you will see a slightly different sometimes, with usta or fish and wildlife, his the courtig is telling epa it has to be the measure and then we discuss it and quite friendly, maybe usta or u. S. Fish and wildlife have a higher appetite for risk the doj serving as our attorney and they say that epa you cannot afford to do xy ansi and you see a robust discussion across multiple agencies to try to get some of these issues quite friendly, course like the night circuit and others have said a really high bar the bar would not have been that high and if we hadba to been on the offense instead of the defense. I do think we can agree that this a very frustrating process certainly think that we agree on we switch gears quick and in 2020 epas unscientific assessment dimms rated the missions are acceptable with ample margin of safety and no new regulations are necessary despite that funny epa currently proposing to revise the air pollutants for the sector doing to ruling in dc court case leaving versus epa, and Economic Analysis of the epa proposal demonstrates that the role would impose capitol cost of almost 1 billion on an industry with only an annual revenue of about 2. 3 billion and so given the role with impose significant costs without an appreciable Health Benefit would you commit to adopting the maximum flex abilities under the Clean Air Act to minimize the burden of this role in lyme manufacturing. I think without but we want to do is to enter the meeting the letter of the law with his much flexibility is possible they think we have to do reasonable and think what we want to dove is protect Public Health and ensure that these industries can be put up because of course all of us rely on food and fuel and fiber that this industry produces. Thank you and appreciate you for being here today and i yield back the balance of a time. Thank you. Thank you i now recognize the next person for five minutes of pushing. Thank you mr. Chairman and want to welcome back, chair lucas, i really appreciate is leadership and think the leader under wrecking memberr also for holding this important hearing and administrator for unit want to being here today from clean water and air to ensuring a smooth energy transition, we epas work is truly essential to health and prosperity of grateful for your work to welcome the bipartisan intersect whichte is already aching impact for mike is that you mentioned in february epa awarded 18. 9 million to address emerging contaminants like paphos and Drinking Water and the investments really do targeted are smaller Rural Communities it is to be energy areas in april and house iq testified and we discussed, the clothing americans wastewater tech technicals assistance program, and usurious youre working closely with usta on 11 pilot projects in communities around the country, to provide a roadmap into scallop unified mmTechnical Assistance and expot a successful model all across the country and for my community, the issue of Technical Assistance has really been a priority since day one since i was first sworn in and do my small town in Small Farmers and historically, really hard to disadvantage in trying to access some of these grants and you know if they have any kind of ended kind of an assistance in terms of staff capacity, they do not really have the Legal Expertise and some of the capacity to hunt down these grass the first place they certainly do not have the extra fees to apply for them is my understanding that the wastewater axis program was to equip the communities with the information to apply for funding in full at 2023 so this year my questions are we on track to hit of the keyand so far youve learned the process. Will thank you for the question we are on target we are learning a heckuva lot from these 11 communities and we strategically chose these communities because we knew it monolithice a solution is that we are prepared the epa in usta to take those learnings from those 11000 twitter that they reflect the breathre rural unities in smallr communities that will be competitive for the resources we are are in and the water is feeling good that having the capability to make sure that these communities are competitive for the billions of dollars. Rate and once the pilot programm wraps up and is intendd to extend the program nationally. I think the goal is twofold, we will assess whether or not we need to continue to pilot or we will take those learnings compile them and see if we can export the level of learning Technical Assistance to those who needed the most and we believe that this 11 is reflective of the country and we believe that those learnings will help us get better across the finish line. And are there is anything you need from congress in order to make sure this program is successful. I would say that the 50 billion that we received bipartisan info structure a lot of focus on her feeling water structure was a huge shot in the arm but we have over 700 billion in need and so what i am hoping is that congress will see that epa has use these resources strategically, and wisely so that when we look for more resources to help more people, there will be a compelling case to do so. Thank you and then as you know, shifting years her china dominates production of many critical and are also essential to energy transition, including with a aboutra using batteries poly silicon for many key material for producing solar panels over the chips in science,ch and the ira congress set in basyes clinicals while also seeking to reduce our dependence on Foreign Countries parties that often for me see mott odds and the issues and exclusive to the Energy Sector of her from intel employees in oregon this is top of mind tech Companies Like intel and theres wires in the district rely minerals to produce semi conductors and other electronics and how is epami supported research informed sustainability money and more broadly how do you think about expanding Domestic Production of Critical Materials and environmentally responsible way to act for the first thing that i would say is that we believe that we can do it environmentally responsible way and we believe that we have to have a responsible domestic money because we cannot rely on china. 45 billion and vested in Battery Supply investments in supplychain critical mineral supply chain issues and so what we do with Regulatory Authority is watch with the market is doing and watch with the technologies are going and in our relations or technologies, we try to incorporate the best Management Practices the best technologies to give his county tiglobally competitive and thats a goal that the epas role. Thank you and i yield back. Thank you i now recognize the next person for five minutes of posting. Thank you chairman lucas mr. Miller and also thank you to chairman and i want to thank you administrator for your service and for being here and for giving us your transparent answers on the operation of an important function thank you again to the chairman lucas congratulations and glad to see him back in action and i just have for the second time i just wanted to not give you an Opening Statement want to dive into the administrator and ask a string of questions i would appreciate a yes or no answer if he could in my first question is, are you familiar with Arabella Advisors. Arabella advisors. I am not. Are you familiar with the federal acquisitionti regulation for the councils proposed rule entitled, helical, disclosure of Greenhouse Gas emissions and climate related financial risk, proposed rule which would require the major federal supplierss to publicly disclose Greenhouse Gas emissions and climate related financial risk as well as science based reduction target. I am. This rule was proposed by the deity and as a which collectivelyby comprise of the council did the epa have any involvement consultation ordination or otherwise in this role. We may have had a peripheral typically participate in the inner agency processes. So you did not directly get involved with this. Our agency could have summa could happen you did not with yourself okay. I do not personally. You thank you so the Environmental Protection agency premier agency you shouldve had visitation putting for this role Climate Emissions especially affecting major suppliers and entities all of the country. What i believe that our agency may have participated in the end ofun the agency but im answering you straight forward i do not. You know the equality wasnt consulted. I assume they were because the part of the interagency process but you know the council is in the white house said im not in so. [laughter] appointed by the president okay requires major contractors to have their contractors validated byta Science Based Target Initiative or f cti for short and are you familiar with them. I am not. Okay and epas website sites that the criteria is a good rule of thumb for comedies to align their Mission Targets with c may want to know who they are, because are going to be actually doing some oversight when we have a your agency and telling u. S. Businesses who they need to inalign with. Let me also ask, since you dont know them the stt hi, his a British Company and its interest may not cant necessarily align with u. S. National security interest i just want to say, so everybody knows, is on the same page including a few i just want to inform you that they private foreign country, the process Emission Reduction card targets invalidates and private companies for free and according to the epas website the sea agency you run, the apa center for corporate climate leadership is a Resource Center for all organizations looking to expand the work in Greenhouse Gas measurement and management heading is on say that the Center Offers resources to help organizations conduct assess and reduce the scope 12 and three emissions and promote you understand and i described though the Center Connect some of those activity. Im very familiar with the center of corporate climate leadership so i am very familiar without organization which i think to your point, is a voluntary program that we run in private sector, ask for ways. While the proposed rule is not voluntary. The center for corporate climate is voluntary program. With this role in talking about is actually, its 20 will be mandatory if enacted so i went out to be so between the center has a preexisting voluntary relationships that youre talking about with the reporting, it covers 85 90 percent of all u. S. Ghvo emissions and do you think that the epa could at least be compared and offering the services andul activities they o instead of since there u. S. Based Government Agency not private induce if it funded by outside donors to which have ties to political vice. We have Greenhouse Gas reportingg program to have my question though is that if you think will dont you think we should go to the pa versus gog to this spi. Im not negating the group did not come to them to consult with emily Greenhouse Gas according program that we already have in place and i think that have to the Greenhouse Gas reporting program the center for corporate climate leadership in both couldve fed into the process and that couldve happened with Senior Leadership and im just not. Going to write them time but this company is theou sole sour, this is the sole source for getting this information as you think we should have choices we should not have a politically charged you know this arabella. That is the premise. Under spt i know the proposal, theres no choice they must go and they are actually funded by Arabella Advisors ultimately which is funded by political sources. I will take a look into this becauseca i just reject the premise that we doth not have choice, we have a number of programs that are wellestablished the couldve fed interagency process as we do not want to negate. I agree with you. Your time is expired in thank you very much. Thank you. Him like to recognize next person for five minutes of questioning. Thank you mr. Chairman and Ranking Member for holding this hearing today and i also was happy to see the chairman lucas back into the Committee Room e today and administrator reaga, welcome and i am pleased to have this opportunity to look at the science today for the agencys Research Activities such a significant and unwelcome presence in my district at a course, as always its always a pleasure to welcome fellow North Carolina and to the Science Community at my district in North Carolina is one of the nations leading hubs for an environmental and resource and epas Research Programs are huge part of that and in the office of airng quality planning and sender standards and essentials for Public Health and environmental assessments are based at the campuses and where i was pleased to visit earlier this year as well as other critical epa facilities like the National Computer center, center for commutation toxicology and exposure and the first environment early learningen center. Missioncritical worldclass scientists and devoted public service, whom i am concerned about if we are indeed headed for a government shut pretty and i would like to learn more about how epa supports his Research Program in rtp and ensures that they have everything they needed to continue their essential work on behalf of the American People. Thank you for the question and a smile because i think that you know my 1998, i interned in the research trying out this forgot my start with the agency, listen, i just of the folks understand, the campus in rtp is considered a a headquarters offe number of personnel that we have the worldclass capacity is so large, the congress deemed it that they would set up the separate campus in North Carolina and we rely on those individuals at oh two ps ord to continually research and air quality impacts, wildfires, and looking at how we really begin to address the chemical compounds for emerging compound is coming also how we think about you know expediting and pushing for our programs and so if we face a shut down and if w lose folks there in research we will see a pause in the work that is happening on a national and ain global level. And so administrative reagan, and can you assure me, that under your leadership, epa is prioritizing scientific programs and research and elsewhere with the budget they need the staffing the need, and the high level of fact think they need to conduct their work. You know, this is why come before congress often to ask the necessary resources imperative and i think that im stressed from day one, the scientific integrity, is the norstar for us in following the science andr following the law is our pledge that commitment developer scientists across the agency we are trying to push as many resources as much opportunity for the scientific voice toe be heard in allll the work that we do. At and i also want to take this opportunity to discuss an important oversight. For over a decade, epas program has been working on a daily assessment of formaldehyde and it is a known carcinogen and hours came to this conclusion asked year. And it was well last month, then National Academy provided his stamp of approval on the assessments, this work timent in nine years affirming the progress theyve made in the gao in the Science Committee investigation found inn the during the trump administration, political derail this important assessment from being finalized and as the academy said, hit is been imperative, that epa finalizes this assessment. W push to finalize this important assessment by the end of next year so that Key Stakeholders across and beyond the federal government can incorporated into help protect a policy we are currently reviewing the nas and external peer reviews as we speak and we are losing expedited timeframe along with looking out hundreds of other studies as well for we have to consider and we understand the sins of energy see so i have to commit to you, we put the necessary resources and personnel on this issue and will move expeditiously. Thank you and i yield back. Thank you and a no recognize ms. Mccormick for five minutes of questioning. Thank you my fellow marine mr. Chairman, had thank you and for your testimony today i also think you and mr. Reagan, who wanted talk to you about epas role in another part of the state which is space and in georgia they went through a secure process fors final statement estimated that the county spent nearly 10 million on studies and preparing for the onenvironmental impact statement and consultants and im glad its finally move forward in finding to impact in 2021, is when the ticket decade and 10 million for the development to clear all paperwork largely because the environment review process and can you point out the concrete to estimates that the epa is negative shortness approval process of remove your credit red tape from the leading commercial space industry specifically. While i think that what we have done that epa and you know obviously for process involves more than just epa but what we have done is that we streamlined our permitting process in our Environmental Review process weve automated a lot of these processes and as you mentioned, this is her sound like is the making for ten years over the past three years, we recognize that in order to get these eis done and permits out the door, we have to use technology and more efficient measures of the begin should be ensure that our state and locals who those needed permits for the economy so i can tell you that we have looked at how we can make processes more efficient and we have either made in processes and we have also expanded our external stakeholder average under state and local government vta harm is much more robust and muscular right now we had more of a finger on the pulse. I would agree actually because saying about have as much time for everybody else to get their approval and so is obviously working so kudos to you guys pretty epas rule is to protect human and their environment yet it seems often more focus on bureaucratic red tape which i understand is a lot of times the product of the relation wen burn people with l the bureaucrats and onto that because it is a job. For example my own district, and roswell 700,000 to do a study lasted 80 months to see we could repave the roads that will get repaved anyway but it costs almost three quarters of a Million Dollars delays per year and a half of people are going through the potholes and going through the process that is so dragged out just to do something we knows pretty much inevitable anyway love and are looking for ways we can streamline the process and get rid of the inevitable delays that have been peoples lives miserable because i feel we are all government to serve the people make life better. You speak to that. I dont know if i can see two paving roads and the expediting of the process but i can say that with the bipartisan infrastructure law, as far as the whole of government approach, there are a lot more resources to look atat how we stabilize our roads and bridges andnt transportation what i can say is that our involvement in these environmental assessments, and my watch have moved much more expeditiously and i can say that because of the state regulator not been receiving and the salable and trying to work with the federal government and ive tried to bring that state knowledge to the federal government and worked in an expedited manner to get these reviews done in timen is money. It is money in your actually right now you sound like a business guy in the bureaucrats and i like that. Its interesting that we just allocated 40 million adversity basin efficiencies last cycle for the budgeting and i was curious if you talk about the efficiency and the time lead us they were supposed to be looking at this review since we talk about how youre making progress and can yoube tell me were the 40 millionyo expenditure abiliy to digest that to make you more timely and efficient in human today i met of the of the 40 million went towards cleaning out a can make you better check im not quite sure if i recognize the 40 million you are speaking to. And so specifically for the Inflation Reduction Act, we allocated 40 million, through study to develop a more efficient accurate and timely review process in the epa. Let me get back to you on the specifics about the enemy holistically speaking i can tell you that we spent a lot of time money and resources on efficiencies all across the agency but i want to ask you a question directly about the 40 million want to be accurate. Without a yield. Thank you and i know recognize the next person for five is a cc. Thank you so much administrator reagan, for being with us today i this is a great conversation and one of the reasons that i wanted to serve on this committee is to help science as many people hers while is Inflation Reduction Act and i know your agency is quite the role to play in that one of you have the oversight of his 41 million it is stress communities to discuss in advancing Environmental Justice and i know that my seem like one of those dc bubble phrases but this certainly is an impactful than a necessary conversation have because he Environmental Justice means access to safe Drinking Water cleanair and addressing the pollution of the best make sure things like the river to sarcasm fire again and we know the pollution is not geographical boundaries as well as congressional boundaries see boundaries but is impact can also be disproportionate and i want to talk specifically about my district ohio 13 because they represent the city of akron uniontown and communities working to address the longstanding Environmental Issues that we inherited many generations ago just want to make sure we never share this 1 billion and can you talk about the difference of funds are going to make in our communities and how theyre being implemented across the country no. Absolutely for several like to say thank you free leadership locally and also, your role in the Congressional Black Caucus Environmental Justice tax forces cochair and think you know and understand that there so many communities like the onesd you identified that just have not had a seat att the table that have been left it behind and do not have the infrastructure to respond to the disproportion pollution that they say based which one of the first actions i took was establishing a new National Program of the Environmental Justice and external civil rights program. This program is on par with all about oliver National Media programs in the air and water plant Chemical Program to ensure that all of the resources that we get appropriated in addition to the resources from these historic of pieces of legislation recent communities that needed the most weather here appalachia or in alabama, the disproportionately impacted lack of Infrastructure Investment isla astounding and o unknowingly set up a National Program but also set up metrics and guidelines and policies to ensure that every regulation that every policy and contracts impure pyramid have this land of justice and equity of life. Thank you and appreciate you saying appalachia because you i know your legitimate because others say appellation and thus are correct as we often are corrected in ohio butap i do wat to build upon something moved to another topic specifically the community of uniontown in the state of ohio epa is been working with the uniontown since 1980s with the access landfill and some ofst the work of your agency and because of the work is being remediated an effective residence thing uptotheminute simple waters by z away from well water which was welcome to but this process is arduous and long term becomes very difficult and we seen the presence of one of the four which is a dangerous chemical and so we do not have as much time for me to ask you to go into this deeply but if you just blink twice in amino that you will continue to work with the state of ohio epa and i will take that is your commitment working with our community but i do want to talk about this because want to thank you the members of your staff, coming so quickly to the aid folks in east helsing is not in my district was certainly appreciated that you have heard from people the Governors Administration their appreciation also want to express it to you publicly at another we often hear about the administration what they are doing and i can attest to see you there a couple of times that youat were there but i think tht unfortunately, members of congress as members of Congress Push on the administration will put enough in our own colleagues to even pass Bipartisan Legislation that we can do something to help fix this and that is passing a bill that is not received any hearings in committee than i could happen i could be very impactful but it to your point earlier about Norfolk Southern holding them accountable i know the recent executive order from the president to ensure that the administration is overseeing that work in the announcements you made several months ago these policy and can you talk to us, and ten seconds or less about how your enforcing that mcsherry Norfolk Southern is doing with the promise to do. Weve ordered them to clean up the vast and they have responded to her orders to date and it got. In every i and grocery team are almost complete cleanup the waste we will continue to monitor the soil and water for the foreseeable future and the president executive order spelled out what weve already been doing which is to provide timely updates through equity directly to him so he has the same amount. Thank you i know recognize mr. Williams for five minutes o questioning. Weve never met mr. Regan and i just want to say how much i appreciate youme for checking or here in the quarter come appreciate your direct and relevant answer today and admire your command of the issues that are under your jurisdiction so please accept my sincere appreciation and one of the key lessons that ive learned about research and development for my business experience as well as my experience as a nuclear agent training and the navy is that scientific innovation or invention, does not always lead to broad adoption of new technologies or new solutions and in fact, will broad acceptance of innovation is quite rare it in actual practice and as a society we tend to assume that once a new Technology Like solar panels or Carbon Capture Hydrogen Fuels is first invented it renovated, it will inevitably be adopted and be good solution for the market and however, in my experience, is simply nothing case. A new Technology Face the greatest hurdles after they are invented or the innovation occurs there many many hurdles to adoption and beyond that event, into broad acceptance into our society new products face significant difficulties expanding and this is quite clearly captured any term coined crossing the chasm by Jeffrey Moore theres a number of excellent scientific studies on the cycle of innovation and adoption the namenda for many many decades. And so i hear from my colleagues acrosshe the aisle that every regulatory action by the epa has urgent and necessary to save the planet but i would urge you to place an even higher emphasis on aac priority to stop impoverishg working families through Higher Energy costs. In my state of new york, Service Environmental policies have probably driven up energy costs for rate payers and is a regressive tax that is unfair sir. And specificallyy im concerned the epa in this administration failed to properly consider this issue crossing the chasm of the cost and difficulties of scaling up inal implementing new technologies, take thehe proposd section rule that epa released earlier this year, this role implementedis it would burden existing natural gas plants that we rely on for power today with strict and unrealistic relations ofti to employ Carbon Capture ad Hydrogen Fuel blending sir many technical challenges to including Hydrogen Wind regiment metals and or many of the utilities subject to this rule formed the bringing these technologies online in a commercialch scale, would requie hundreds of billions of dollars of new investment and this is not take away from their profit, this gives us on to rate payers and significantly increase energy costs for consumers and businesses. And so under your leadership, is the epa and the mandating of these massive investments by utilities, are you accounting for the rapid rise in energy costs to all americans. Well all the Technology Standards thatth we proposed do take economics into consideration and i think that affordability, and reliability, along with the technical availabilities, is what we are discussing and i think that we proposed rule that weve received a lot of comments in the past two three weeks i met with multiple utility ceos and met with my team has met with liability experts and congressmanre johnson convened a very productive conversation around these very topics in the proposal is justar that, we will continue to evaluate the comment that communicateswe with industy ratepayers and others and hopefully the final rule will reflect something that is ambitious but also doable. Folks that you listed that were at the table, i dont heres strong representation except for elected members like myself of the helplessness that working families feel for forces that are being put upon them, costs put upon them quite honestly by your agency and mandates that you require their sinful offensively unaffordable and is literally. Im sorry is literally impoverishing working families please respond to be like but my time is conspires with carbide like to say that i think the congressman did an excellent jo in bringing people to the table that myself met with and we are media talking with everyone because we understand the impact of the work we do. Thank you. Five minutes of questioning. Thank you mr. Chair and they also have been hardened by the return of chairman lucas and i would like you think him and the Ranking Member for holding this hearing today and thank you administrator, regan for coming to speak with us as you may know when district isni home to singapore colorados only Major Petroleum refinery and its a critical piece of local energy and infrastructure and our economy so much so that if we see issues refinery with production, my constituents fee the pain at the pump and i agree that affects working families that being said, this refinery is right next to underserved communities and that omissions are compounded another your pollutions in November Metro area and generations of children have grown up around this polluting entity and ive seen that impact in my clinic where i treat callous children who suffer from asthma because of these harmful emissions and that is why i was encouraged to see the epa award Grant Funding to institutions that are doing research toar address the drives environmental impacts of Energy Transitions and underserved communities some of these projects even the situation some of my constituents find themselves in which is living directly across from Petroleum Refineries and so what is the epa hoping to learn from the research being done at these universities and how do you see it affecting the important work that you all do. It while thank you for that question and i think the research will help do two things the first is we see constantly the position of people having tg choose between employment everything year living the tough situations why believe to think about the transition to a cleaner economy we have to think about the communities that are there that we do not want left behind and what we hope to learn in research are couple of things in verses understanding the total Economic Impact to the communities while also asking some of these facilities to pursue cleaner technologies at the end of the day, epas focus is on advanced technologies to reduce emissions if refineries and other constituencies, can find thatt technology that allos for them to move forward and keep the Community Safe, this priority number one and i think that the innovation of that is cost and so the question becomes if the refinery cannot find a costeffective way to protect the communities, what happens we are doing a lot of research to make sure that we are working with the industry in the communities so that they transition together and nobody is left behind. I appreciate that in some of the districts we strive for this everyday making sure they were protecting communities but also knowing that impacts on their pocketbooks a real and if the research. That epa conducts is successful what would you recommend the Congress Look into to authorize programs that e mightve left the these proto the project. I think that we have a more Broad Administration wide programm looking out communities that are transitioning that we are participating in and that involve the doe and others and i think that collectively, we will have some reporting that will come back to congress to demonstrate that we can responsibly either add controls to protect thes communities are transitioning them away we do not leave anybody behind and i would ask congress to be on the lookout forth these results and these are very goodod solid results that are coming from multiplele agencies and we are working together on that. I appreciate the work and certainlyce will be on the lookt for those and switching gears, only talk to you about the west nile virus in colorado we are and fortunately, leading nations in a number of cases being reported and we tended to do that most years in recent that a bipartisanki effort asking him o put together a federal response to the uptick in cases which may next season worse depending on of our situation and theg reason wanted to talk to you about west nile virus is because other storm Water Infrastructure has whether its ineffective or lacking in playing into these cases when the wet year in colorado which we appreciated the rest given that were usually in a drought but because of that are storm Water Infrastructure has not been able to keep up with a process in the amount of water that weve gotten in an efficient manner bipartisan infrastructure authorize the creation for centers of excellence for infant infrastructure in the last appropriations bill so i was hoping for an update on where you are withstanding the sinners up. We are excited about the centers number recognize that stormwater controllers pt west nile and 70 other issues could no think money is flowing throughh the process in this case, we areg setting of the centers that we also have a state fund that receive resources annually and is the states apply for these billions of dollars, we are judging the project based on the solutions on the ground which is this one that we are closely looking at so i think there are two categories there of the state funds become annually that epa goes out we are really grading the states on exactly what problems they are solving but also we have these Resources Research centers that we are actively working to set up. Appreciated and thank you. I now recognize the next person for five minutes of questioning. Thank you for being here and think for your service to our beautiful country. I want to start by capturing something you said earlier on i just having a discussion around that. He said essentially, the mission is to protect the environment. And they are not mutually exclusive and try to maximize both of those missions. Would it be fair to also include in that the premise that National Security should also be a primary measure of merit in your mission . We have in my district, i represent north l. A. County district, which when people hear los angeles, they dont think about the train in our district. Wide open high desert. We have, though, in the middle of my district, one of the most critical National Security assets. Assets. This is where we are currently building the nextgeneration stealth bomber, the b21 its about 30 of the f35 production is done at plan 42. The next Generation Air dominance vehicle is there. It is taking close to a century to build this and to replicate plat 42 anywhere else in the country the Carbon Footprint of rebuilding that will be massively prohibitive to the environment but also economically. The workforce is allrc there. You have a new proposed rule that basically changes the businesses that operate there. It is part government facility but also part industry facility. This Clean Air Act changing the practice of measuring omissions for future growth opportunities. You bring a new piece of hardware is to look at the average admissions the new hardware or the new facility would put out. The rule change you proposed is instead of taking the average admissions as a projection for offset to take the highest level of missions for that equipment or that facility and the determination of offsets. Which isnt really irrational its arbitrary andhe capriciouso say in order to put a piece of equipment im requiring you to offset to the highest emission output rather than the average of the service life. I would like for you to touch on this. I got low good elected officials in palmdale, lancaster and many are democrats there also conservationists which i am. I want to protect our environment and protect our planet. Their hair is on fire about this hair on fire has a Carbon Footprint as well we tried to avoid all fires. [laughter] they are fearful of losing economic development. I am fearful for that but the National Security implications of threatening the crown jewels of predation security right now within the dod. Can you talk to the scientific rationale was for going to worstcase omission mindset rather than average for new development either projects or assets being put into the facilities . Ask you are referring to our rule which we hope to finalize soon. We have taken a lot of comment and on the proposed rule. I will say want to propose rules of this magnitude i consult across multiple agencies. I appreciate that what the process more of the rational while youre waiting on this. Live sooner prior rules we have left a lot of people unprotected reflects what is that mena protected . Licensing Adverse Health impact all over the country. Find ways that escaped our previous rule. But we looked at this new rule we looked at how could we designed this rule in the most protective manner while also recognizing the state Implementation Planning process is a process where you can build in compliance flexibilities and progress we have flexibility it wavers for plan 42 . The state will have flexibility in the state Implementation Plan that will work on the federal government to be sure they canrk comply wih this rule in a way that takes into consideration the National Security interest ass well. I think thats were important. We say we want to protect everyone i dont disagree with that statement. But the assets being developed are meant to protect the entire country on the allies from thish very real china threats. This incentivizing these programs from growing and expanding is very dangerous to every single human being in this country and around the globe. With that i encourage you to look at this again and figure out how we can actually support protecting the environment and National Security because they are not mutually exclusive in this case you are compromising our Nation Security with this rule as it is currently written im out of time but i i yield bk with his thank you i recognize mostly for fiveminute so questioning. Think it mr. Chairman and Ranking Member lofgren. Thank you administrator reagan for honoring this committees invitation to be your day. As a first black woman to represent pennsylvania and congress are recognized the weight of responsibility on your shoulder as the epa first black leader. Your task is leading an agency that works to address and combat environmental racism the lingering effects of redan lighting that they have had on the quality of air, water and our communities. Last weeks extra grand home from the department of interest that before this committee. I had the pleasure of discussing with her the Amazing Things going on in my district the abundant opportunities the future holds for clean, renewable, Energy Economy in the region. Jail for discussing with you the opportunities we have invested to rectify the mistakes of the past separate, stifle destroyed environments and popular by black brown individuals. Im not okay with committees like the one i am from and western pennsylvania. Being sacrificial lamb continued fossil fuel expiration for example. Having a good job at a stronger, it is up and have to undo every piece of environmental policy we have fought for, for decades. Clean water and air are priceless and precious gifts of our german people in our country have not been afforded. You can tell how long you are likely to live where that your children should expect to develop asthma or copd of the water flowing through your pipes will poison you all based on the zip code you live in. Why should committees be defined by five digits that are often beyond ones control . We all deserve to have air we can breathe and water we can drink. That will not end our lives prematurely. We all deserve leaders who will fight for the marginalized and the vulnerable in our society to ensure we can all enjoy our unalienable rights for life, liberty the pursuit of happyness. That said mr. Regan house the epa shoring committees are better equipped to advocate and protect themselves from environmental polluters . Thank you for that. And i agree with you zip code does not matter, race should not matter how much money have in your pocket should not matter. We have stood up an entire National Program office Environmental Justice external Civil Rights Office to be insured every single leader across the epa is coordinating erand ensuring that everyone haa pharisee at the table. This sort of touches on the question was just posed where redoing the pmx differently . Its because of see that max is not been protected certain committees across the country. I believe we can do both of the at thesame time. The way you dosa that is print e Community Input have conversations and have them as part of the solution. Also settingl up Technical Centers all across the country. Ten Million Dollars to partner with communities. Let me just say the solutions do not start the top we do not pretend to have all the solutions for the community. Its high time you are federal dollars to these committees have had solutions foror decades. Part of that to 3 billion in Environmental Justice and climate resources that come from ira. Also part of justice 40. We have the metrics built in place auteur communities are involved would set up a National Office everything we do is through that lens of equity and inclusion. Thank you britt lester you completed your journey to justice by letting Environmental Justice across the nation far too long have been neglected or ignored may well be aware the Pipeline Infrastructure is in close proximity to committees of color. Hopefully successfully the welt remediation action through this committee to support research and development into reducing emissions from abandoned mines across the country. How is the epa using research and development into modeling to mitigate the emissions impact to communities that have historically borne the most adverse socioeconomic and Health Outcomes in the development of Energy Resources . As we have looked at the new proposed Technology Center to control method emissions Event Industry come to the table statement look at losing product or poisoning or people in our committee we believe this a technological solution and we with this technology exist today that will exist in the future we have not quite thought through. We are working on very flexible regulation that takes into considered technological advancement. Nc we have the Environmental Justice committee at the table with ngo at the table we have the industry at the table and in concert with the regulations we are matching that of Historic Resources that will allow localized solutions that are regulations in the partnership. Think of thats my time thank you for your time today. Exit out recognize mr. Franklin for five minutes of questioning progress thank you, mr. Chairman thank you administrator for your time with us today forget been n brick candidate and responses of that i appreciate that. I want to kind of follow up on the questioning my colic mr. Williams talked about before crossing that chasm go up as well security implications my colic mr. Garcia. It is my understanding eps in the process of finalizing regulations ultimately going to rapidly increase the sale of both passenger lexical vehicles as well as medium and heavyduty electric vehicles everything from delivery vans to longhaul trucks. Eight and june report for the u. S. Chamber of commerce on epa regulatory analysis of its proposed powerplant rule ignores igmassive amount of electricity demand resulting from epa us own ev hydrogen mandate. In this report im not sure if youve seen or not but from the chamber of commerce for epas ignoring threaded 71 terawatt hours of electricity resulting from its own rules is equivalent to almost 9 of the nationwide demand for one and a half times that using californians easy for administrators to claim a proposed rule does not cost anything if it ignores the realworld costs come to comply with that but thats not the reality. Understand even good ideas, depending on the timing and how theyre implemented can abundant to the consequences. Thats a tough position you are input how to be advanced technology will make it costeffective . It also protecting the National Security . Is it fair to say these are finalized . What sort of frustrating to hear why sat in front of you till the ceos talk about the new demand that will come by what we need to work on is reliability and affordability. I sit with my staff to proposed rules for cars trucks and power plants to make sure these things Work Together. We recognize demand shifts for their new technologies out of the utility providers will have a new constituency while another constituency is sensitive. The business multi private sectors look at on the transportation utility side are speaking to one another but we are taking this into consideration. Weve had a number of conversations on reliability, cost and affordability. We have proposed a rule we received over 12000 comments. Ive been in conversation with utility ceos. All the sink should reconcile themselves to the common. I will hopefully end with a final rule does not describe what you describe something more in harmony with the economy protecting the planet or products and technologies going. You do think epas aggressive timeline with those in mind the nations power grids can keep up with what you are pushing on a short part of time . We are doing in realtime as analyzing the comments of the data we are receiving from the industry. From the grid of managers from Technology Providers i make sure all work with the same data. And then we can determine whether or not the timelines a line but the assumptions are hacorrect. We have taken a lot of comment in. We are combing through that data. We are having a lot of conversations. Proposals are never perfect but pretty put out proposals to seek, the good thing is epas listing. And by the way we do not to jeopardize this Global Competitiveness we do not want to rely on china. We want to figure out how we can corner the Market Technologies and rules and provide longtermm certainty for the longterm investments. I hope you are right but as we have seen even this week ford was in the process of doing a big plant in michigan to do battery cells in conjunction with the chinese manufacturer and investments them now put the skids and put the brakes on that. There is a lot of concern we are pushing at a pace that our own Auto Industry is not going to be able to keep up with which you would youagree that assessment . I would say we are in conversations Auto Industry spends three and 4 million ndrunning commercials how quicky we will electrify america. Then we also see the reality of the data they provide. Theres a reconciliation of truth what is advertisement were capable of doing. We are currently looking at the facts versus the commercials. I would sayin that what we proposed is reasonable but we are going to take that data in. The final rules should actually reflect what the Auto Industry can do with the power sector can do. I would just ask as you make those assessments you do fairly with the cost and impact enough to selectively make the case appreciate your time and i yield back to gregs thank you and out recognize refinements of questioning progress thank you, mr. Chairman thank you administrator regan for being here today if we were to protect human Health Across the country. It is my fundamental belief everyone regardless of zip code, lesocioeconomic status, race deserve to breathe clean air. Drink clean water into gotten the work the administration is doing for Environmental Justice is critically important. Business community has always had a seat at thed table. Utility ceos lobbyists and lawyers have always had a seat at the table. I was not always had a seat at the table are the people in the community where power plants go. Where pipelines go. They destroy historically black or indigenous communities. Or they are concentrated where people dont have a voice not surprisingly and up at some of the worst Health Outcomes i represent a lot of those communities like Charles City County or hopewell. Which as you know has a number of chemical plants that have repeated violations of epa rules. You and i have exchange correspondence aroundts that. I wanted to followup on represented leaves the question about epa is empowering by repeated toxic chemical exposure. Or an overabundance of projects in the area that leads to more pollutants. If theres anything else you like to add or more importantly tell us howow congress can help you do your job to give these voiceless communities a voice i the theater the table. Thank you for that. I can say congress is done an excellent jobss in the Inflation Reduction Act for Environmental Justice projects. That is when weight money is talking it will actually bring people to the table with a resource of the technical capabilities i have said from day one epa will use full Enforcement Authority we see people cheating and violating e especially committees or disproportionate impact of her we would track record thatrd represents that progun journey to justice to her to highlight for the nation and 2023 we still have communities that have a lack of access to clean Drinking Water, disproportionately impacted by pm 2. 5 and other llpollutants. We are designing our policy were designing programs to be sure committees like the one you just laid out will have access to 3 billion so they can fund a solutions. Year i read a letter for particular care toxic standards for powerplant emissions. Along with a few of my colleagues on this committee sent a letter calling for strong and transparent regulation of pfas in plasticon containers unr the toxic substances rule. With the government shut down longterm contingent resolution on the horizon im interested to hear about the impact either would have on the apas ability to provide assistance to those committees who need it most. About longterm resolution would have on your work protecting these communities . Alexa continues to make our communities vulnerable. Freedom of the personal onthejob focus on Community Outreach for ensuring these are competitive for grants. Ensuring they have a seat at the table as we think through how to design regulation. It continues to disproportionately impact those who are alreadyue burden. So a shutdown does not do our economy any good but doesnt do any of us any good. But especially disproportionally harms those for pollution progress thank you, i agree wholeheartedly and again want to thank you for your work giving these communities who have over the years and in some cases over the past century been overburdened by pollution. Making sure youre helping to give these communities a voice at a seat at the table Going Forward as well as addressing disproportionatete impact that environmental policy and industrial policy decisions and pat on the communities thank you very much. I yield back progressive gently yields back the gentleman from tennessee karthik Nuclear Expert isit recognized. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Ai mr. Administrator i didnt want to come back specifically. Ive been at a nuclear bent event i left and came back. I went to extend my sincere thanks to you. And your folks at epa. For over 12p. Years i have workd very hard in therd nuclear legay clean up area. Very hard and i heard your comments about how you work so well the department of energy. But the department of energy to get new disposal we needed a disposal cell. I would not of got them completed without the help of local and state partners and the department of energy. We can take my call quite some time back in your agency finally signed off on that. You are partners and you actually sent people to the groundbreaking we did a couple of months ago. My sincere thanks for that. Our entire community in oak beridge will benefit from that d legacy environment will clean up will continue to thank you sir. Thank you your call, our conversation in partnership would not have gotten it though without Effective Communication so appreciate your leadership on that. Thank you sir. If i made mr. Administrator have a question from our homebuilders. We have heard from them despite epa and the court announcement it was immediately affected upon publication the fr most core districts are still unable to process requested approved jurisdictional determinations. Our constituents are reporting the corfield office staff is still waiting for guidance on implementing these recent from epa and corps headquarters. Unfortunately the rule did not define key regulatory terms. These include relatively permanent under the ruling. A clear definition of paralyzing core districts in the federal wetlands permitting process. Housing ability crisis according to inflation bring detroit red tape that cause the homes to skyrocket. My question administrator, how is the agency staff interpreting key terms like relatively permanent and interpreting continuous servicean connectionn the field. When will the interpretive guidance regarding these definitions begu sure with the public and i think is her fear responsibly. Thank you and ill get back to an exact date of the interpretive guidance. What i will say is weve been working very closely with the core to walk and chew gum at the same time. We are working on how we can do this interpretation in a legally safe way while responding directly to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court spoke they gave a very precise ruling. We are now try to put a rule in place that response directly to that. We do not want to appear to try to be cute too. Were trying to respond directly to the Supreme Court will also remove the korans very timely issues and reconcile that process. I will have more staff follow the orders directly on this jurisdictional determinations. It is my understanding we are doing a pretty good job getting these out will trying to respond to the Supreme Court. Yes, sir thank you for your response and my thanks for all the work youve done thus in oak ridge and doe. Think mr. Chairmani and i wl yield back. Your recognizer five minutes. Thank you. And thank you for being here mr. I liked asked some questions about how your thinking about carbon co2 pipelines and regulation seems to be a lot of been going up right now and change in the free market lease as i understand it. I started moose a bad analogy. A post applied to build a natural gas pipeline the permitting for that process to be largely independent, entirely independent of the permitting of downstream uses. Selling a boiler a gas turbine for a combustion source would be esa permitting process paid my but myfirst question is if somes applying for epa review of a pipeline will that permit be independent of the permitting of the projection site downstream and be stored . Right now what we are seeing actively occur as epa because of the classics will permitting process. What you squarely in our court. I think we have in our proposed rule Carbon Capture technology of choice. As we think through the comments to finalize that rule and always has a larger conversation as you are aware just look at permitting efficiencies across the government. We just dont own the whole pipeline permitting process. The reason i asked the first question the only reason were billing the co2 pipelines is because when department sequester the co2. The injection sites as you review the permits what are you co2 wasan firmly stored per. It depends on if applicants right now who are forecasting looking for title vi. Its a water certification. I have the project in hand work on a timeline is a hypothetical. Really do matter. Some arecl starting at the classics. Some of usot are in the permittg process that might start outside of our agency. Were trying to get her arms wrapped around that as a government work with the private sector to be sure were all working from the same sheet of music. Okay. Let me try this another way then. If i submitted a permit that said i have a high degree of certainty have to co2 a putdown is going to leak out 10 years from now. What that permit be approved . It just doesnt happen that way. What would happen to some it would put in a permit for classics well and demonstrate carbon would not leak into the ground and have an impact on Water Quality or post safety issues. That is with the permit comes into epa. I cannot be the grand master of ccs projects because congress does not give me that authority. Are pipelines being built there going through. What im trying to get my head around and by the way we sent a long list of questions hopefully we can clarify this with your staff but web try to get my head around is if i built a site that is a permanent pollution risk. Some manufacturing site with the disposal issue and i say this to issomeone used to build a lot of power plants. I would often have obligations to place a permanent amount in escrow for permanent liabilities, right . We are sitting here saying were going to build these assets that are obligating ourselves to stuart co2 underground not for the next administration. Not for the life of the asset. Not for the life of the company but for geologicall time. If you as the epa administrator providing these permits making a promise over time who bears the liability if theres a leak . What i will say is there are two is to look at this. The first is epa can approve these classics well storage permits. We are also going to the process with the states are asking for that delegated authority. There is an accountability measure built in the federal and state process to hold the depositor of that carbon or whatever it is common to have the accountability to ensure will not impact the environment or Public Health. So the accountability relies to a person applies for the permit. They have to meet certain thresholds to receive then permit. And out ofre time but lets continue the conversation because weve got way too many examples of that risk summit bank stripped out of the rest of us on the risk is borne by the community which annoyed been a strong advocate for protecting those communities. And as i sit here it is not clear to me we are just punting that risk on to future generations i yield back quick some of that is built of the Statutory Authority but we can talk further. The judgment yields back we are affixing to talk i recognize myself for five minutes we are glad youre here. Follow up on what was asking you about. Hes a pretty good straight man by the way. In december of 22 texas filed application to take that primary responsibility for the permitting of geological carbon sequence as class six injection wells but let me give yout a se note about my district 14 in texas. With the largest Carbon Capture and Storage Facility in the country in texas. While epa staff has stated they were able to apply Lessons Learned from louisiana recently approved application to this texas application, the final louisiana rule has not been published in the federal register for comment. Are you aware of that . Yes i am. Could you give us a timeline for texas application reaching a Decision Point and hopefully been published in the federal register would you give us a timeline for that would it be within a year . What i would say is as recently as august texas has submitted the materials for the classics application request shall have it done by the end of the year . We are look at the completeness of that application. Let me let my staff get back to you on the steps and the timeline. But let me just say this what i have pledged to the president this administrations class six wells play significant role and leveraging technology to combat the Climate Crisis. At epa we want to move asve quickly as possible but we want to be sure the states have followed all the rules to do that so we can protect her committees as well be. Invite her talk but he also committed to congress or taken steps to speed up the class six permitting timeframe to two years. Would you commit to two years here today . Whatever we have committed to on record whatever my staff has committed to it we can commit too. There arent Lessons Learned from both West Virginia and louisiana that will help us meet the market we have committed to. Okay, we are quickly approaching one year of noo action. If we are going to hit the twoyear timeframe . What lets be clear the state of texas would agree as of august the state of texas is saying they turned in their application. The application is not been eta for year by the state of texas as of august is saying we have now turned and a completed application. Did you learn any lessons from louisiana permit that help you expedite this process . Absolute we learn best practices. I think we have learned in somee ways we can more efficiently engage communities and bridge the gap between the state outreach and Committee Outreach to build trust in this process this is a sensitive issue as you know for lots of people. I think weve learned some efficiencies. From the outside looking in looks to us like the epas waiting to complete the louisiana process before goes on to the texas process. I was hoping you all could walk and chew gum at the same time. [laughter] that is not the case. Obviously is my home state so im interested in it. In your discussion with congresswoman i forget exactly what she was asking about. You mention the fact the epa watches the market to keep the u. S. Competitive. I dontyo know if you member tht exchange or not. Now we move on to rags or businesses shift Greenhouse Gas reporting for example. You had that discussion with congresswoman kenny. Sometime after the discussion was coming from salinas. Nv when you talk about Greenhouse Gas reporting requirements do you in that instance consider the cost thats going to be imposed on those businesses . We do provide Greenhouse Gas reporting program in place for 15 years. The larger participate in. And then we have i believe the question was posed the center that focuses on a voluntary program for the corporate interests have come in and assess for Technical Advice on how to quantify the Greenhouse Gas emissions be. If you consider the cost back to what you said were you at the u. S. Ma market to be competitive you specifically rightfully silt bench in china earlier, i saw your comments. What matrix do you used to compare those cost of the marketplace number one. And number two, is there a separate part of epa that does under who does that . Basically what we do is we look at the goals we set for Emission Reduction based on Economic Vitality and technological availability. That is u. S. Versus china . Yes its looking globally. How can we look at costeffective technologies that as we note many of our companies are international companies. I spent a lot of time talk with ceos about this. Ive spent a lot of time with governor gordon in wyoming and in north dakota. We want to position ourselves to export these technologies to countries like china and india as we compete globally to reduce these carbon emissions. Epa does take all this into consideration progress glad to hear that i just want to make one more final comment. Our grid needs to be resilient pretty to be growing, the permitting needs to be faster smith to push for lot of electric vehicles. Back in the day when something got ahead of Something Else we used to say we are putting the cart before the horse, remember that . T it looks today we might be putting the bbs before theth horse. We have got to be careful but im going to yield back in before i do i want to say mr. Mullin of california you are recognized next for five minutes. Thank you mr. Chair. Thank you administrator reagan reganfor being with us today. I will not belabor the point you made and others have made about Critical Role epa plays in the urgent fight to address Climate Change. In my district and california we know firsthand how quickly we need to act on climates. Earlier this year we saw unprecedented atmospheric rivers causing devastating flooding in my district in the San Francisco bay area. The White House National climate advisor told Bloomberg News this week the effects of a lapse of appropriations from a governmen shutdown would be seismic and cascaded not just to the federal government into the real economy. Into our ability to support communities and protect them. Bloomberg goes on to note regulation have to stop working on regulations limiting pollution from car and powerplant admissions. Could you reiterate for us how a shutdown could impede the rulemaking process. Particular with respect to pollution control measures and other critical regulations that directly affect Climate Change . I can assure you a Government Shutdown would be detrimental to any work being done. Regulations that would help us a to globally competitive and take advantage of Technology Going to corner the market on. Or the regulations to protect our most vulnerable communities. Our children from 2. 5 pollutants as well. We are doing critical work to stay ahead of these wildfires that we are seeing all across the country. And we have to be in a position where our staff is doing the research to stay ahead so we can alert our communities of the Adverse Health impacts that come from the smoke. Were also trying to respond to the drought situation we are seeing from climate impacts as well. What you do is you reduce our ability to respond to the climate impacts. To slow our ability to regulate pfas and other emerging contaminants you prevent us from Public Health. By the way those inspectors that are on the job to ensure our Water Infrastructure is following the rules we have safe Drinking Water, those inspectors will be relegated to their homes of live a shutdown. Thank you for that. So switching gears just a bit. In june that introduced hr 4296 the weatherization resilient Adaptation Program which would help low income homeowners manufactured home communitys Affordable Housing providers protect their homes from the disastrous effects of Climate Change. As part of such a program various agencies including epa would have a role in setting standards and guidance for communities on how to make homes and property more resilient and adapted to a changing world. And your testimony mention epa research inio this area helping communities improve the resilience to floods and wildfires. You mentioned how the agency is studying Natural Solutions to coastal resiliences such as usg native seagrass to store carbon. Could you share justt a bit more about the research epa is doing in this regard . Also talk about how you are coordinating on this research with other agencies to the extent that you are . We are looking at a whole of government approach. I would argue whether its seagrass that we are looking at to sequester carbon or the plethora of crops im costly talk with secretary bill sick to sequester carbon or the wetlands that help us filter pollution. We are looking at all of the above approach to sequester carbon him filter pollution through natural opportunity. I would like to say as we look at the naturalat solutions we believe we can do a lot of of their volunteer program soup marketbased incentive programs that dont have a heavy Regulatory Framework associated with them. This is all hands on deck approach but want to be pragmatic. We want to be on the front leg ready for the race. I think were doing a good job or with usda, doe, commerce, all across the board to make sure we are deploying every single tool arwe have. Appreciate the anchor, think if your leadership and i yield back. A chair that recognizes myself for five minutes. Administrator reagan i want to let you know weve been bouncing around of several committees going on. Ive been following you and watching and listening to your answers. I want to tell you it you do give thorough answers as people are talking to you and i appreciate that. A lot of times we see people with blinders flipping back and forth just to try to figure out what the answer is the canned answer. But i want to go into different areas real quick. The epa is purchasing millions of dollars worth of advanced combat equipment. I heard a little bit about this earlier on a slightly different a lot of this includes night vision. And so why does the epa need military equipment . L get the same answer i gave before. I need to really look into this particular issue. And the reasoning behind our m enforcement arm making these purchases. Lets givegi an honest answer si left it back to on that bike racks are not going to war against anyone, right . Listen theres no one to go to war against which i believe are permitted and regulated constituency are partners. We are trying to do these things together. I guess i just want you to know how our american supposed to know about an agency . A lot of us feel like our rates are always trampled on. And the special you are stocking up on weapons. I would love to have a detailed answer into that. Especially if there is a war on the horizon for the epa. Absolutely. Another area want to quickly go into just as my background is tracking ive been the private sector for over 30 years this is my first term ind congress. Ive practically spent my entire life in the Trucking Industry building a Trucking Company with my wife. You proposed a new rule its going to importers impose more birds on the industry. And so if you have your way these new admission standards are going to make new trucks even more expensive. Our truck prices have gone up astronomically over the past decade. A lot of times what you do to us is such an adverse effect because the new admission rules we have out there the sensors are shutting down trucks left and right butse you see them up and down the interstate. A lotov of time its over a senr we cannot get a sensor to replace is causing a huge burden and making trucks either even more expensive. Inserting trucking over all. 98 the Trucking Companies out there 10 trucks or less, 95 of three checks or less. Do you understand the hardship the Economic Hardship these types of regulations are putting on truckers . Especially with Small Businesses . Well listen, i appreciate the Trucking Industry and moving commerce and keeping our economy going. We havele proposed a rule i was saved met with the American Trucking association and manufacturer since our proposal. We havepr received thousands of comments we are combing through that. I think the point you are making are pragmaticic and rational and we are listening to those paid what we are trying to think through is whether or not this proposed rule really addresses a full suite of technologies that are available. Have thehe appropriate informatn in terms of the cost associated. And the timeframe spirit looking up tome make some these transitions. All that is up for discussion we are in the comment. Right now for. We understand that but when you say to truckers that are just trying to compete . We have high fuel prices, high insurance. What do you say to them, higher prices on everything they are the peopleey out there move the and frankly, we feel Like Washington bureaucracy lives in fantasyland. I will say that we are listening. I will say we have made a proposal based on estimates and technology and information. A crude way of saying it is we have done things academically announced time to test those theories with actuality implementation but we have got people sitting at the table from your industry and others saying listen your assumptions may be a little aggressive or off but thh technologies may not be asas available as quickly as you think. We are listening to that it taken into consideration for quick sale be honest with you and ill finish with this. And my career i have seen or the Trucking Industry has made great strides. Even fuel economy. Then all of a sudden the epa will come out with some rule. That rule will increase thel amount of oil that we use in our trucks per truck and decrease the oil change intervals. And decrease the fuel mileage you get out of those trucks. And decrease the life of the while. I dont know who the epa talks to or listens to but it certainly is not the Trucking Companies out there trying to make a living. But that i will yield back. The chair recognizes mr. Frost in florida for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Mr. Administer thank you for being here today by district myt includes the small Rural Community of this low periods example of a community that has been forgotten about by government. Both the federal and local. Because of Illegal Dumping an abandoned gas stations, toxic chemicals have leaked into the groundwater. Most folks this community cannot afford deep wells or Water Filtration systems. People do not understand or know, they dont have public water source is something we are hoping to help them fix. We are out there chatting with the resident people are scared for the duet of the quality is of the water they are drinking. And as a result residents have a higher rate of cancer, brain diseases, et cetera. Its not just that. The community lacks real infrastructure, social programs, Environmental Issues on top of that is exacerbated drug addiction as well. Being out there is difficult. Its a difficult situation. Suicide, overdose, et cetera. I had a great conversation with regional magistrate or ghetto he committed to come out and take a tour and we hope the on the schedule soon for the commute the greatest needs are often time zones about the resources, connections or no health of securing the funding needing to take care of these problems. Administer house epa to make sure the grants like clean water Drinking Waters reach Small Community limited experience with the federal grant making process . Think if your leadership and i appreciate heran questioning. Theres a couple things i like to say but thanks to the the bin for structure law Inflation Reduction Act we have some we resources we can put to used to provide Technical Assistance to these communities so they are in a competitive condition to receive these resources like to say two things. The first is we have gone back and looked at our traditional funding at the state level through appropriations to see where the governors are spending their money but we have addedhe criteria in these evaluations to ensure committees like the one you just listed have a seat at the table and can be competitive for these resources and the decisions are not made arbitrarily but right now there is a more competitive opportunity for committees to be seen and heard. 50 billion in Water Infrastructure resources coming through epa to funnel to those communities. The other thing i would say is 40 of those resources by law have to go committees that are disadvantaged or lower income or lack the infrastructure to provide for their communities. If your commute just mentioned as a prime target the third is again we have really ramped up our outreach. In addition the Technical Assistance you now have regional administrators like in a regent for that will come, spend time listen to the community and helo them to get the resources to have a holistic approach their progress thank you mr. Administrator. What can our office to head of the meeting with the regional administrator to make sure the best place to have a productive visit. Will have good photos, we will show them around. But what can we do to prepare for it so we can have real resources . Identify think your office should ask for a a meeting whici will make sure happens. I think the understanding of the community makeup, the infrastructure makeup, the unique challenges this community faces. If we understand thatth before e get to the meeting we are better prepared to provide answers and some assurances. I think a preliminary meeting would be advisable. And listen, what we are learning is so many communities have been left behind. They have so many different challenges there is not onesizefitsall. The best way to be prepared to be on with the Investment Information request to a Government Shutdown mean for communities across the country having to live with undrinkable water, motor Government Shutdown mean for those communities . We cant have meetings like the one you just said were going to have. We cannot have regional experts go down and talk through how to solve the solutions. We cannot send inspectors down to be sure the water they are drinking is safe. We cant look at billions of dollars that were dedicated to small Rural Communities to combat pfas and other emerging contaminants. We cannot get this work. Communities be left behind if the government shuts down. Those committees already disproportionally impeccably for their left behind regrets thank you mr. Ministry for being here today i yield back. A chair not recognizes for five minutes. Thank you mr. Jeffrey think the chair and Ranking Member for holding this important hearing. An administrator reagan thank you. Thank you for your excellent leadership at epa, we appreciate. D integrity is essential to eps mission to burp her checked Public Health and the environment ipod are ever to prioritize and rebuild scientific integrity at the agency disastrous political interference or the last administration. Scientific integrity something i have focused on during my time in congress by offering in fighting for the scientific integrity act. Work together to strengthen and improve policies across the federal government. I was excited to see the office of science and technology and implement updated scientific integrity policy . We are excited about it. Under this administration scientist have a seat at the table and we are listening. And has really invigorate our employees. We are hoping will have a new policy as a result of the leadership you demonstrated by this winter. New guidance, a new way of instilling confidence that science, not politics is leading the wayan precludes thank you an administrator can you speak to the role of ep eight Scientific Integrity Office in providing advice to employees and addressing potential issues before they become fullfledged violations of the Agency Scientific integrity policy . Be taken very seriously. Im excited to see cooperation at all levels because the agency. To be sure we are not prohibiting the best availableg science to move forward. We are also respond to oig recommendations of how we can do that better. I personally had a number of conversations with our Inspector General on how we can file the guidance he has given us. Also very proud of the scientific integrity process but something taken serious but all of our leaders. We are seeing the agency make significant strides in this area. Wonderful. How important is it for epa employees to feel comfortable bringing complaints to and seeking advice from epa Scientific Integrity Office . All of our employees must know their workr will be done d received in goodgo faith and not face retribution. Well went to faulty science but want to fold the law. That is ourin mission that is or goal in order to get the best products out of our employees they have to feel safe, comfortable they have to believe they will be listened to in this demonstration is doing that. Thank you. Earlier in my tenure in congress and made it a goal to bring a lot of attention to Water Infrastructure inte the hidden infrastructure is incredibly important to our communities and certainly to our way of life is rooted many tours on eastern seaboard one of the discovererss that was repeated over and over was the lack of Human Interest in issues like those that are required to maintain our water supply. Terrific responsibilities. But failed it was not that attention brought to that area of infrastructure. So yesterday was thrilled to see the epa announced for 20 million in Grant Funding for developing Career Opportunities in the water sector. Water workforce is central to protecting Environmental Health from our pipes and pumps to our rivers and lakes or infrastructures in dire need of restoration and maintenance and innate need for human infrastructure. Yet, like many of the sectors facing unprecedented staff shortages. Though administrator reagan could you speak to the current need of the water sector how these grants will help bolster the next generation and attract the Young Professionals that we require to cruise and water . First i want to say thank you for your leadership in congress with this 50 billion were investing in Water Infrastructure so personnel could have something theyre proud to manage. Some of these crippling facilities now will be revived and need a good skill set to manage. We are spending these resources we spent time on the ground with mayors, with utility operators understand is a huge workforce gap. Its about instilling pride, bringing back educated well resourced individuals to run these facilities and ensure their communities are receiving good quality Drinking Water. We have connected those dots but infrastructure were invested in the people and i believe are now on track to get more people clean and Drinking Water than weve had for very long time too. And very much encouraged by that hidden infrastructure getting so much attention and focus. Again i think if your leadership. And with that i yield back. Its on a thanks administered are for joining us today. Rain open for 10 days for additional comments this hearing is adjourned. Thank you. 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