[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 143 (Friday, September 23, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRANSPARENCY IN REGULATORY ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS ON THE NATION ACT OF 
                                  2011

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. LARRY BUCSHON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 22, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2401) to 
     require analyses of the cumulative and incremental impacts of 
     certain rules and actions of the Environmental Protection 
     Agency, and for other purposes:

  Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the legislation 
before the House--H.R. 2401, the Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of 
Impacts on the Nation Act. Coal mining is a lifeblood industry in 
southwest Indiana and throughout the Midwest. We have abundant reserves 
of the natural resource throughout my state and the citizens of my 
district depend heavily on coal mining and the burning of coal for 
electricity. In fact, 98 percent of Indiana's power generation comes 
from coal.
  The Environmental Protection Agency has gone to great lengths to 
disrupt coal production in the United States--in many cases haphazardly 
and without recognition of the economic and social benefits derived 
from coal mining and the electricity it generates.
  The further hampering of our country's ability to mine and utilize 
coal will have drastic effects on the economy--hitting hardest those 
areas, like my district, that depend on coal for jobs and paychecks.
  That said, there are utilities in this country that have completed or 
are making currently the strategic investments necessary to comply with 
the EPA rules this bill seeks to delay. These investments have been 
made at significant cost to the utility customers, who are paying 
higher rates as a result.
  As this legislative initiative moves from House passage to Senate 
consideration--and negotiation between the two bodies--it is imperative 
we find a workable solution that both protects the investments these 
utilities have made and are making while maintaining the underlying 
intent of the bill before us.
  For this reason, I plan to work toward such a solution because not 
doing so would leave those utilities at a significant competitive 
disadvantage in the marketplace--and frankly would be unfair to the 
customer. I am hopeful my colleagues will join me in this effort.

                          ____________________