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Press Release Published: Aug 21, 2013

Oversight Subcommittee Leaders Ask for More Information on New Social Cost of Carbon Estimates

WASHINGTON – Rep. James Lankford (R-Okla.), Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Energy Policy, and Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), Subcommittee Ranking Member, yesterday sent a letter to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) head requesting more answers on how the Administration developed their new social cost of carbon estimates.

 

The Subcommittee on Energy Policy held a hearing on July 18, 2013 to examine who helped develop the new standards and how they came to their conclusions. Newly confirmed OIRA Administrator Howard Shelanski testified at the hearing, but was unable to answer many of the questions about the development process, including which agencies were involved, who the individual participants were and what kind of records were kept during the meetings.

 

“We believe that bringing to light more information about the interagency working group’s process – who participated, when and where they met, why and how they arrived at their conclusions – is essential to creating public confidence in the IWG’s work,” Lankford and Speier write.

 

“Moreover, increased transparency on the IWG’s methods will enable stakeholders to better participate in this process,” the bipartisan letter continues. “Increased insight into the IWG’s efforts will also help to ensure that the estimates and their use in rulemaking throughout the government conform to the highest standards.”

 

Today’s letter asks Mr. Shelanski to provide answers to 17 questions that were left unanswered. You can read a copy of the letter here.

 

Related Documents
Name Document
August 20, 2013 Letter from Subcommittee Chairman Lankford and Ranking Member Speier to Howard Shelanski Document