Senate EPW Republicans set meeting to discuss priorities 

Source: Amanda Peterka, E&E reporter • Posted: Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Republican members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee plan to meet this morning to discuss priorities for Congress, incoming Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) said yesterday.Inhofe did not give any specifics about what issues the new majority would tackle this year, but suggested that the usual slate of U.S. EPA regulations would be on the agenda. The Republicans plan to meet at 10:30 a.m. to work on a plan of action, Inhofe said in a brief interview in the Capitol immediately after the swearing-in of the 114th Congress.

“You know the things that we’re going to be interested in, but what we haven’t decided on is the prioritizing of these things,” said Inhofe, who is taking the reins of the committee from Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who becomes the panel’s ranking member.

The realm of issues that could be on the agenda include EPA’s carbon dioxide regulations for power plants, the recently proposed ozone standard revision, the agency’s first coal ash regulations, the renewable fuel standard and the administration’s inclusion of climate change in National Environmental Policy Act reviews, based on recent statements by the incoming chairman.

Stakeholders are expecting a full schedule.

“They have a pretty robust list of things they’re going through,” said Ross Eisenberg, vice president of natural resources and energy policy at the National Association of Manufacturers.

Inhofe said that he would provide more details once the Republicans members have met.

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