SR0171 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0171 LRB097 11502 KXB 54224 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Energy policy and regulation are vital to Illinois' economy and have a direct impact on Illinois families, businesses, farmers, and employees; and

WHEREAS, The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed or is proposing numerous new regulations, particularly in the area of air quality and regulation of greenhouse gases, that are likely to have major effects on the economy, jobs, and U.S. competitiveness in worldwide markets; and

WHEREAS, The EPA's regulatory activity as to air quality and greenhouse gases has become known as the "train wreck" because of the numerous and overlapping requirements and the potentially devastating consequences this activity may have on the economy; and

WHEREAS, Concern is growing that, with cap-and-trade legislation having failed in Congress, the EPA is attempting to obtain the same results through the adoption of regulations; and

WHEREAS, Neither the EPA nor the present Presidential administration has undertaken any comprehensive study of what the cumulative effect of all of this new regulatory activity will have on the economy, jobs, and competitiveness; moreover, the EPA has not performed any comprehensive study of what the environmental benefits of its greenhouse regulation will be in terms of impacts on global climate; and

WHEREAS, Illinois State agencies are routinely required to identify the costs of their regulations and to justify those costs in light of the benefits; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Senate supports continuing improvements in the quality of the nation's air and believes that such improvements can be made in a sensible fashion without damaging the economy so long as there is a full understanding of the cost of the regulations at issue; and

WHEREAS, The primary goal of government at the present time must be to promote economic recovery and to foster a stable and predictable business environment that will lead to the creation of jobs; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge Congress to adopt legislation prohibiting the EPA, by any means necessary, from regulating greenhouse gas emissions, including if necessary defunding the EPA greenhouse gas regulatory activities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we also urge Congress to impose a moratorium on the promulgation of any new air quality regulations by the EPA, except to directly address an imminent health or environmental emergency, for a period of at least two years; and be it further

RESOLVED, That Congress require the Administration to undertake a comprehensive study identifying all regulatory activity that the EPA intends to undertake in furtherance of its goal of "taking action on climate change and improving air quality" and specifying the cumulative effect of all of these regulations on the economy, jobs, and American economic competitiveness; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be sent to President Barack Obama, the President pro tempore of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.