So, thats what we did during the process. I know, because East Palestine was so highly visible, that there was a lot more controversy ron who was receiving this, but i would agree with you, that Companies Like heritage and others across the country receive these kinds of waste on the time and handle the with the utmost integrity, and we didnt anticipate anything different on this. Thank you very much for that answer. I see that im out of time. So, i just think that really needs some constant reviews. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Barry. Recognizing ms. Ross, five minutes of questioning. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Again, thank you administrator redan for being with us today. I also want to thank all of your employees at the Research Triangle headquarters. I visited with them recently, and they are inspired by your work in doing cubillos work there. Lets hope the government doesnt shut down we take you live now to the for compromise paycheck for house science, space, Technology Committee hearing next few weeks and months. Featuring epa administrator back to the foss issues, that issues affects Michael Regan. The hearing will review the Environmental Protection agency our air we science and technical activities and their use in breathe, the parks bring it to our home, and they have contaminated more than 2300 policymaking. Sites across 49 states, polluting drinking the committee will come to water of an estimated 200 million americans. Including thousands of order. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare recesses households in North Carolina, of the committee at any time. As you know very well. These forever chemicals have been associated with a wide range of Serious Health effects. Opening statements. I would including problems with cancer, thyroid disease. Lowered fertility, and more. Like to also request unanimous consent to submit chairman lucas Opening Statement for the record. Now recognize myself for five we know very little about what minutes for an Opening Statement. I would like to welcome these chemicals really are, everyone to this mornings hearing for science and where they are manufactured and technology at the Environmental Protection agency. I am pleased to welcome epa used, and how the american administrator Michael Regan for the first time in front of the people are being exposed. Science committee. In fact, it is vital for epa to define this is the first time any epa this in a way that will not. Administrator has testified since 2019 so we certainly have a lot to discuss. They can do private agencies, congress, states, and the public for information necessary while i appreciate you joining us today, your testimony was to address the harmful effects sent to the committee unacceptably late we require efficiently and effectively. Witnesses to share their written testimony no less than lead Bipartisan Legislation 48 hours ahead of our hearing. That has twice passed the house this is not an arbitrary that would direct the epa to deadline. Members need time to review the statement so we can fully use a simple definition of review for these questions. We invited you to testify in pfas, one, fully correlated july so you have plenty of time to meet this deadline. Carbon atom, consistent with the International Consensus definition. While i know you have an this definition would ensure internal review process, that we have a full picture of Previous Administration witnesses have had no problem getting us through testimony on the nature and extent of pfas effects. Time. Given the importance of science at epa, it is my hope and chairman lucas that the administrator will come before this committee regularly in the that will come from the future so i expect that the effective problem. The reporting will for pfas next time you join us we will have your testimony ahead of time so we can have the most for the toxic substance control productive discussion possible. Act will help us capture the full picture of contamination in the u. S. How will they say when necessary, deregulatory agendas. Although it has been a while the definition actually since we have heard it, every reflects the scope of the aleutian crisis and the wide range of chemicals our communities are suffering from. Epa administrator that has come in particular, pfas from before our committee has stressed the need for scientific integrity at the epa pollution , from floral and the importance overlying the expertise of career staff and scientists when crafting polymers in North Carolina. The regulations and policies of the agency. Congresswoman, thank you. That reliance is especially important today, given the fact so, weve recently issued our that the biden administrations third test order on this pfas epa has promulgated 1083 rules to date. That is nearly 55 rules a month substance, because we are in a since the president took office. Continual question order for there is no industry exempt from the wide range of topics. The Health Effects are. To the point made, so many, from pesticides and agriculture to admissions for power plants, local compounds are out in our the chemicals and manufacturing environment that we dont regulations have the potential understand the health implications. To hamstring our economy. So, in terms of following the signs and the law from a regulatory standpoint, we have tests and requirements under the improvement of our standing, administrator reagans epa has and we have a National Strategy set very ambitious goals, reducing emissions from the power sector by 80 , having two for pfas that spans not only thirds on the car on the road our program, but our cleanup be zero mission and eliminating methane emissions in the country, to name a few. Admirable as those may be, we grams, our programs, and our simply cannot set goals about water programs. Were really trying to get our arms wrapped around what do we analyzing the economic and social costs to achieve them. We cant just flip the switch, do with what is already in the environment and how we work with industry to ensure we dont continue to put it into offer Domestic Production the environment, there. Okay. Great. On a different topic, this administration has made significant investment in the unless we have affordable and reliable replacements. Otherwise, hospitals and military bases would go dark, transition to electric vehicles, especially as made families would struggle to make possible through the ends meet, businesses would Infrastructure Investment and close and lives would be lost. Jobs act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. We had the privilege of speaking with secretary granholm in this we have to be realistic about Committee Earlier this month about what the department of what these goals require from energy is doing to advance this the people we serve. Additionally, todays hearing transition. Is an opportunity to get an can you elaborate on the work update from the administrator that epa is undertaking to on the influx of funding the agency has received through the ira. No matter what side of the advance this transition . Political spectrum you sit on, this is spending and is i can say that we have a proposed rule for our cars and trucks that looks at the opportunity for electric vehicles to lower carbon vulnerable to the waste, fraud, pollution, along with advanced abuse. Biofuels and other technology that can pull carbon out of the this funding is set to positively impact crucial sectors of our economy and has air. The potential to fund wasteful i laughed, because i think that projects that line the pockets of select environmental groups what we are doing is trying to and prop up technologies that will never achieve success on codify a technology that their own in the market. We must carefully examine the agencys processes, to set of industry is out the gates with new programs, get money out the door and monitor the progress as the Major Car Companies well into the future. Running, milliondollar super i want to thank the administrator for being here today and i will end with this. Bowl ads talking about how quickly theyre going to electrify the future. We have over 500 billion in private sector investments in testifying is a lot like a doctors appointment. While we are perfectly looking for things that are wrong manufacturing and ensuring that we can do this domestically, you will hear criticisms on how things look. It is because we want to event where our Technology Standards for cars and trucks and vehicles insured that we leveraged the full potential of electric actions from turning into a vehicles to meet the demands of problem. Everyone wants an effective, smoothly running Environmental Protection agency and today is the Emission Reductions and the a necessary step to ensure that. I hope we can Work Together to Climate Crisis. I think we are in line with ensure epa is doing things for people and not to people. I now would like to recognize where the industry and technology is going. Going to be sure that we give industry the regulatory the Ranking Member, the gentleman from california for certainty to continue to make those major investments. Opening statements. Thank you. I thank you very much. I yield back. Thank you. I now recognize five minutes of questions for mr. Obrien. Thank you, mr. Reagan, for thank you for being here with your willingness to be here us today. Before saying anything else, i today. Just want to say how delighted id like to ask a question i am to see chairman lucas back about the Greenhouse Gas here. On behalf of all members and Reduction Fund that the epa is attempting to establish, trying staff, we are wishing you to get 20 billion out the door continued success on your this year, it is obviously a recovery. We stand ready to do whatever we can to assist and it is really terrific to see you staggeringly large amount of money to try to move in one here. I recently had a freedom of information act request reveal back. I also want to discuss the that the epa had a series of epas research and Development Meetings last february with potential awardees of grants work. The epa has a unique and from that fund, and that raised Important Mission to put humans and Environmental Health at the concerns that the epa was center of everything they do. Picking winners and losers, essentially. Is it normal practice to have the office of research and exclusive meetings with development serves a crucial role in that mission. The office drives the science potential awardees and grants that the regulatory offices from a fund, particularly with rely on to ensure they are Public Comment period for that fund not closing yet . Setting help protective standards. It puts out stateoftheart yeah. I would have to say, i think we met just about everybody under assessments that state, local, the sun to try to articulate tribal governments rely on to protect their residents. The design or the intentions of the program. I would argue that, you know, epa laboratories across the country monitor air pollutants, soil for contaminants, and water, to track viruses once we got beyond the initial conversations, we did the design of the program, we have the proper safeguards in place including covid19. All to be sure, number one, no one americans, whether they know it was unfairly advantaged. Number two, those who could or not, depend on epa to potentially be recipients would deliver on its clear mandate to not be involved in the design Prioritize Health and safety discussions i can say, i met above all else. With parody equity with under your leadership, this epa has made incredible efforts to capital, wall street, commercial bankers, but also bring this issue to met with cfis, state and local government. So, we really tried Environmental Justice to be sure that we understood communities. These communities have been on the front lines of devastating for the full breadth of the pollution by industry and impact of this program. Sometimes by the federal i think you recognize that we designed competitions so that government itself. Some bear an incredibly high risk of cancer due to dumping those who are experts in leveraging capital can take that by chemical companies. 20 billion and pull hundreds others worry that environmental of billions of dollars off the contaminants and anemic sideline to advance to government responses will have invest in lowcarbon technologies. Irreversible impact on their sure. Well, speaking of the childrens development. Safeguards, the things revealed they have been neglected in programs that have prioritized through that freedom of information act request was the and Climate Resilience and fact that a former senior other better resource areas. Attorney for the sierra club epa new office of environmental was one of the required justice and external civil attendees for the epa at a meeting that included the sierra club. Is that a conflict rights is an important step in of interest . Would that fall into something addressing these needs and connecting these communities that would be impermissible . With muchneeded information and resources. I am proud of the work we did in the last congress to fund i have to look into the this effort. The Inflation Reduction Act specifics of that. That is the first time i have provided 41 billion to the agency to advance justice and heard of that. Again, a number of the infrastructure law included conversations have instructed our office, Inspector General, on how to conduct and design 50 billion to include Water Infrastructure and quality. I look forward to hearing how congress can continue to support this important work. These programs, and as far as i know, we are meeting that letter of the law. All right. I appreciate if you can look into that and get back to us on today we are hurtling toward a it. Obviously, we would never want the public to think the government had its thumb on the scale when it came to who is Government Shutdown. They are taking priority over eligible for and received the funding from this grant fund. Absolutely. Talking for a moment about the functioning of our government and, by extension, the health and wellbeing of all americans. Nuclear energy, and i know that administrator regan is a perfect witness. This year, we were all aware that we have a big problem with the disposal of nuclear waste. Have seen at least 23 weather regardless of what ones and climate related disasters thoughts on Nuclear Energy, i think we should all agree that with losses exceeding 1 spent sites at these billion. In the thick of hurricane season, how will epa determine decommissioned powerplants is it is safe to drink the water . Not best practice or in the keeping of her obligation to epa provides Rapid Response to protect the environment. Manmade disasters as well. What is the epa doing to try to what if there is another propagate longterm solutions to this problem . I would say, we work very catastrophic chain Train Derailment like we saw in ohio . Closely with the department of epa cant effectively respond energy on that waste storage and inform evacuation orders if their hands are tied by this issue, but let me be clear. Im from North Carolina, over manufacturing crisis. 50 of the baseload is Nuclear Energy. We see Nuclear Energy as a low how many serious consequences of this shutdown that we face Emissions Technology that can help us combat the Climate Crisis and Public Health would exist . Issues. I think we have to stay laser as you know, from my previous focused on how to store waste and proliferation as we begin to also look at new and comments, i want to raise the issue of the last leaded fuel in transportation and that is a advanced models in nuclear leaded fuel in general aviation technology. But i want to be clear, we work very closely, handinhand with the department of energy on how we handle the storage of that waste. Great. Lets keep working on solutions, because i think its airlines. We have a situation where something that is a goal we all children are being poisoned by share. Lastly, talking about some of the pfas regulations your the lead in these fuels. We have a study out of my own agency is propagating, i want a county showing that the airborne particles from emissions in small planes have cautionary note, we want to elevated the lead in the blood provide clean, affordable Drinking Water for all level of children near that airport to rival flint, americans. Its not enough to establish new technologies and new regulations, because if were not giving her water agencies michigan. We need to do something soon and aggressive about this the tools to remove those Health Problem and i am hoping hazardous chemicals from water, you can talk further about that we really havent accomplished is this hearing goes on.