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Show Sen. Garn opposses EPA's restrictions in Uintah Basin By Cydne Horrocks Editor's Note: Cydne Horrocks, daughter of Garth and Joy Horrocks of Vernal, has been serving as an intern in Senator Jake Gam's Washington, D.C. office since March. Knowing of the Uintah Basin's tremendous interest in energy development, she has prepared the following story on Senator Gam's activities in this area. Senator Jake Garn (R-Utah) says current Congressional efforts to revise the Clean Air Act and force "EPA to put its house in order" are critical to development of the Uintah Basin's vast energy and mineral resources. "The way must be opened for responsible exploration and development develop-ment of the valuable resources in the Uintah Basin," Garn said. Garn is a long-time critic of the Environmental Protection Agency, and recently labeled it as "one of the worst agencies" because of its ineffective and burdensome regulations. Although he agrees with EPA's goals and objectives ob-jectives "No one is against clean air" he believes the agency's basic approach has been arbitrary and not cost-effective. "EPA's present approach is to push for clean air at absolutely any cost to industry and consumers," Garn said. "It is important to ask, 'What clean air benefits are we gaining from the costs imposed by the provisions of the Clean Air Act?' We need clean air, but we also need energy and jobs. I believe a reasonable balance is possible. "Because of the Clean Air Act's serious implications for the health of our economy and industry, it is of immediate im-mediate concern to both Congress and the Executive Branch," he said. Al Maxfield, an administrator of Belco Petroleum in Vernal, said the EPA doesn't know how "unreasonable" its restrictions are because its administrators ad-ministrators "haven't had any practical prac-tical experience in the areas where they are making so many demands." He says control over EPA is needed because, in the last five years, it has gone "overboard." Senator Garn serves as the chairman of the HUD-Independent Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee which controls EPA's budget. In a recent subcommittee hearing, Garn told Walter C. Barber, an EPA administrator, ad-ministrator, if "EPA doesn't clean up its own act," "it will face having its budget cut. "I think that the tide of this country has changed. People are tired of wasteful, overprotective regulations," Garn said. "Our ingenuity should be used to meet the other serious challenges the country is facing. There has to be a balance of concerns. I cannot see allowing the bureaucracy free reign to impose tremendous costs for only marginal progress." Senator Garn has joined with 25 other senators in sending letters to President Reagan that he will support a responsible review of this act. Garn says the act should be amended and modified "to return responsibility for implementing Clean Air objectives to the states and to establish a cooperative, consulting role for EPA, not a dictorial one." |
