Cost evaluations for new regs come under House panel scrutiny

The Obama administration's methods for evaluating the costs of U.S. EPA regulations will again be the focus of a congressional hearing this week. The House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment will meet Wednesday to review EPA's "impact on jobs and energy affordability." Zachary Kurz, a spokesman for the committee, said the panel will focus on several aspects of rulemaking, including the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), which reviews EPA regulations before they are finalized. "The purpose of this hearing is to examine the process used by OIRA and the EPA in evaluating the costs and benefits of federal environmental regulations," Kurz said. Kurz added that specific rules, including EPA's recently issued greenhouse gas limits for new power plants, are sure to be discussed.