As members of the Colorado State Senate, we are writing to express support for the changes Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler has proposed regarding the inclusion of a cost-benefit analysis in any future proposed regulation promulgated under the federal Clean Air Act. This is a sound approach for balancing the public’s dual interest in environmental protection and economic vitality.
In the nearly 50 years since the creation of the EPA there has been widely shared consensus on the benefits of cleaner air and water. At the same time, the EPA’s regulations pursuant to the Clean Air Act, which account for the vast majority of the often significant extrinsic costs for manufacturers, energy producers, farmers, and other businesses, should be designed and implemented in a more consistent and transparent manner.