Inhofe Seeks GAO Investigation Of EPA's Campaign To Promote CWA Rule

摘要

Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), chairman of the environment panel, is asking the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to launch an investigation into EPA's campaign to promote support for its Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction rule, citing reports that industry officials believe the push might have violated federal lobbying laws. The senator announced his plan to seek a GAO review of the claims, which were reported by the New York Times, at a May 19 Environment & Public Works Committee (EPW) water panel hearing on a bill to force EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers to scrap their now-final rule to define the water law's scope. The legislation, S. 1140, would force the agencies to conduct an extensive new round of public consultation to inform a new proposed CWA rule. At the markup, Inhofe cited the Times' May 18 article that says EPA crafted a plan to build political push-back on criticism of the rule with the help of environmental organizations and a grass-roots organization affiliated with President Obama, which the article said is "a campaign that tests the limits of federal lobbying law."