A spokesman for the petrochemical industry hailed the bill as "an important victory." While many jobs have already been lost under existing regulators, the economic impact would be worse "if EPA's greenhouse gas regulations are allowed to continue unchecked," Charles Drevna, president of the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association, said in a statement.
Environmentalists, however, deplored passage of what they call the "Dirty Air Act." “Today House members had a choice: stand up for the health of our children, elderly citizens and other vulnerable populations, or do the bidding of America’s biggest polluters,” said Nathan Willcox, program director for Environment America’s federal global warming program. "We’re thankful that the Senate made it clear yesterday that this dangerous attack on the nation’s health and environment is dead on arrival.”
The fight is likely to continue through different avenues. Several policy "riders" that aim to accomplish the same ends as the House's Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 and the failed Senate amendments are now attached to the continuing resolution bill to fund the government.
