API applauds congressional proposals to maintain current ozone standards

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2015 – API today expressed support for proposals in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to rein in new and costly ozone regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“The current standards are working, air quality is improving, and the United States is leading the world in reducing emissions,” said Howard Feldman, API senior director of regulatory and scientific affairs. “The EPA's new rule could be so strict that even pristine national parks like Yellowstone would be considered too polluted."

The EPA’s own data shows that under current regulations, ozone levels in the U.S. declined by 18 percent between 2000 and 2013.

“The EPA’s current regulations are working,” Feldman added. “New standards could significantly damage the economy by imposing unachievable emission targets on almost every part of our country, including rural and undeveloped areas. It simply doesn’t make sense.”

This new ozone regulation could cost $270 billion per year and place millions of jobs at risk, according to a NERA economic analysis.

API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, which supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API’s more than 625 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation’s energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 25 million Americans.