Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released proposed requirements for risk management and financial assurance under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) and Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) released the following statement:

“The latest EPA proposed regulation is the result of sue-and-settle litigation that perpetuates more of the same special interest handouts from this administration. It’s a burdensome, duplicative and completely unnecessary pile to the tune of billions of dollars on the backs of the mining industry. State financial assurance programs and numerous other federal regulations are already in place to ensure environmental stewardship, but the EPA ignored input from those models and stakeholders. This rule – drafted by EPA with very little input from states, the mining industry and the financial sector – inevitably creates massive uncertainty and blocks access to our vast natural resources.”

In August, Bishop and Upton sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy detailing their concerns about the increased costs, duplicative regulations and lack of stakeholder input during the development of the rule.

The Natural Resources Committee holds jurisdiction over laws that impact the hard rock mining industry and the Energy and Commerce Committee holds jurisdiction over CERCLA.