To watch Senator Capito’s questions, click here or on the image above.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today questioned Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Secretary Michael Regan about the agency’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2022.

HIGHLIGHTS:

TRANSPARENCY IN SETTING CLIMATE PLEDGES: “Last week, the administration pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 to 52% from 2005 levels by 2030 as part of an international climate summit organized by the president. According to a White House fact sheet, the National Climate Task Force developed those figures from ‘detailed bottom-up analysis. … Standards, incentives, programs, and support for innovation were all weighed in the analysis.’ I know you are a member of that task force. So I’m interested to know more about what EPA’s role was in developing this, what EPA regulations did they rely on to get to this emissions pledge? And I’d also like to know if it’s public information so we could see how these public figures were arrived at.”

CONTINUING TO PUSH EPA ON PFAS DRINKING WATER STANDARD: “While EPA has already made a lot of progress under the PFAS Action Plan, there’s obviously a lot of work left to do. As you and I have talked, we need to make sure we have the sound science here. You’re requesting $75 million focused on PFAS studies and research. Could you give a few more details [on how that $75 million would be used]? And also you know that drinking water standard is where I have a great deal of interest, and I want to know where you all are on that and where you think you might be able to give something more definitive in your action plan.”

PROMOTING RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES BACK HOME: “I would encourage you if you do get the available funds and you’re expanding your research, to maybe go outside what would be your typical universities or colleges that are known…to look at a West Virginia University or Marshall University—universities all across this country that have a great deal of bandwidth to be able to do these things, looking for research opportunities. Particularly in our state, being the ones that are at the tip of the spear of these regulations, I think it would help us be part of that solution.”

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