Quigley Introduces Amendment to Maintain EPA’s Review of Oil Drilling Permits

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) introduced an amendment to H.R. 2021 to allow the Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) to maintain its authority to remand or deny the issuance of Clean Air Act permits for offshore oil drilling. The Environmental Appeals Board was established under President George H.W. Bush and created following an increase in appeals to permit decisions regarding oil and gas exploration an extraction.

"My amendment seeks to overturn a provision that undermines a Board that is cost-effective, efficient, and keeps unnecessary disputes from clogging our courts," said Quigley. "It will ensure the Environmental Appeals Board is allowed to continue its invaluable mission of protecting public health."

About the Environmental Appeals Board

The Environmental Appeals Board was created in 1992, and hears appeals to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) permit decisions. In 2010, the EAB's four judges ruled to remand two permits issued to oil companies in Alaska, finding that the regional permitting authority had not properly reviewed the permits.

Of the four EAB judges, one was appointed by President George H.W. Bush and two by President George W. Bush. The EAB is the fastest and most cost-effective way to achieve a final permit. Federal court reviews would likely take three to four times longer to process.

About H.R. 2021

The bill pursues extreme changes to the Clean Air Act that will allow companies to emit more pollution, fill our courts with unnecessary and costly litigation, and prohibit public participation waiving environmental requirements and limiting reviews of drilling permits. In addition to stripping the EAB of its review authority, the bill cuts consideration time of permits to just six months, regardless of science, and ignores the potential health impacts of air pollution from offshore drilling on local ecosystems and economies.