BRIEFING ON THE EPA’S ONGOING OVERREACH

BRIEFING ON THE EPA’S ONGOING OVERREACH

 

Overview

Under President Obama, the federal government has grown both in terms of its size and its reach

into our everyday lives. In no other agency is this more apparent than at the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

Some of the most destructive and harmful regulations to our economy have their origin with the EPA. In

this briefing, available exclusively to supporters of the American Action Network and its mission to fight

for great economic opportunity, you’ll learn more about the EPA’s historic overreach and how you can

fight back.

Regulations

The Obama Administration has used regulations as a way to impose their radical, environmentalist

agenda without having to go through Congress and with very little oversight. These regulations have

devastating consequences on the industries and businesses they affect and the costs are passed on to

us in the form of higher prices, less jobs, and fewer choices.

Last year alone, the EPA issued 539 new regulations (that’s nearly two every single day) adding $61.4

billion in additional costs. Including other agencies and departments, the Obama Administration added

$128.7 billion in new costs to consumers and businesses through energy and environmental regulations.

TOTAL 3,147 FINAL EPA RULES SINCE 2009

Some of these regulations are easy for us to see, like the phase out of certain types of lightbulbs, but

we feel them through hidden costs. Dishwashers for our homes cost $100 more because of regulations.

Automobiles cost $3,100 more on average. The examples go on and on.

Rising Energy Costs

The regulations aren’t just impacting businesses - they’re raising the cost of the energy we use to heat

our homes, fuel our cars, and power our technology at home. One of the EPA’s regulations for power

plants is raising costs by 6.5%. If you combined all of the Obama Administration’s energy and environmental

regulations, it would represent a 10% increase in costs.

Average Retail Price of Electricity (Cents Per Kilowatt Hour)

The math is simple. The Obama Administration is actively making it more difficult to produce energy

here at home and that means higher costs for all of us.

Paychecks in Danger

It’s clear the Obama Administration is raising costs for Americans, but did you know that they’re actually

trying to get at your paycheck?

Last year, the EPA sought the authority to garnish wages for any American who owes the agency

money for fines and penalties. For example, if you built a pond in your backyard that violated the EPA’s

Waters of the US rule, the EPA would be able to take your paycheck right out of your own pocket.

Fortunately, thanks to Americans speaking up, the agency backed away from this proposed rule. But it

won’t be the last time they try to overreach. The price of Liberty is eternal vigilance.

What you can do

We need to call on Congress to put measures in place that would limit the EPA’s overreach. The REINS

Act is legislation that would require congressional approval of agency rules and regulations involving

significant costs. The House of Representatives has passed the bill 4 times only for the Senate to

ignore it.

We’re hopeful that the new conservative majority in the Senate will pass the legislation and send it to

President Obama. You can count on us here at American Action Network to keep you up-to-date. We’ll

need your help to contact your Representative and Senators when the REINS Act and other legislation

curbing the EPA’s overreach comes before Congress.