Republican Politicians Bring Back “Smoggy Skies Act” to Gut Clean Air Act

Washington, D.C. – Today, congressional Republicans continued their efforts to prioritize polluters over people by holding an Energy and Commerce Committee legislative hearing on a new version of the “Smoggy Skies Act,” legislation to gut the Clean Air Act's public health protections. 

For 54 years, the Clean Air Act has required the EPA to consider health and medical science exclusively as the Agency determines safe levels of air pollution. The Smoggy Skies Act would undermine the Clean Air Act’s well-established and longstanding public health protections by putting industry profits over the well-being of communities, and allowing for weaker air pollution standards based on industry estimates of compliance costs.

The Smoggy Skies Act would also double the review period for setting National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) from five to ten years while also reducing the number of medical experts and health scientists who serve as Clean Air Science Advisory Committee members advising EPA on air pollution health standards.

In response, Sierra Club Director of Climate Policy Patrick Drupp released the following statement: 

"For decades, Republican politicians and industry have attempted to claim common sense air pollution standards are at odds with a strong economy, but the numbers don’t lie. Under the Clean Air Act, emissions for six of the most dangerous pollutants including soot, smog, and sulfur dioxide have fallen by 78 percent. During that time, the gross domestic product of the U.S. economy has tripled. 

“The Smoggy Skies Act is yet another misleading smokescreen meant to undermine proven, scientific elements of the Clean Air Act at the bidding of big polluters. We cannot allow corporate greed and political posturing to cloud the judgment necessary to ensure clean air for all, and members of Congress must act in the best interests of their communities by rejecting any attempt to advance this harmful bill.”