U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Thursday filed  energy and environment-related amendments to the Senate Budget Resolution for 2014.

“Federal agencies such as the EPA have become too powerful under the Obama Administration, and they are using their unbridled authority to enact rules and regulations at will that are hindering job growth and crushing our economy,” said Inhofe.

“North America is ready and waiting to become energy independent, and Oklahoma is leading the way. By encouraging the production of our own natural resources, we can support millions of American jobs, address sky-rocking energy costs, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. I have proposed a number of amendments to the Senate Budget that will unleash domestic energy growth and also hold federal agencies accountable for how their regulations impact job creation and economic opportunities for Americans.”

The amendments are as follows:

• Protecting Energy Costs for Low Income Families: Amendment #173 would propose a deficit-neutral reserve fund to consider legislation amending the Clean Air Act requiring governors to approve any regulation that will increase electricity costs for low-income families before going into effect.
• Regulatory Job Loss Analysis: Amendment #174 would propose a deficit-neutral reserve fund to consider legislation ensuring all federal agencies account for potential indirect job loss prior to enactment of a rule. Currently many agencies look only at the direct monetary costs and often use flawed models to calculate the impact.
• Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Amendment: Amendment #175 would trigger a budget point of order prohibiting the expenditure of funds for the enforcement of oil refinery regulations against family farms. The EPA’s SPCC rule was originally designed for oil refineries but changes have forced compliance by many family farms. On March 8, Inhofe introduced bipartisan legislation, S. 496, that would provide farmers a permanent exemption from this rule.
• Endangered Species Act Reform: Amendment #284 would propose a deficit-neutral reserve fund to allow amendment of the Endangered Species Act to prohibit the federal listing of a species until the Fish and Wildlife Service determines that the efforts led by state and local governments are insufficient to conserve the species. Sen. Inhofe has been working closely on this issue to help protect and encourage energy and agriculture development in Western Oklahoma while conserving the lesser prairie chicken population.
• Prohibiting Greenhouse Gas Regulation: Amendment #359 would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gases for the purpose of addressing climate change. This would save taxpayers $280 million annually in federal spending and prevent millions of lost American jobs and more than $1 trillion in lost economic activity.
• Accomplishing Energy Independence: Amendment #369 would propose a deficit-neutral reserve fund to reform energy laws in a manner that increases domestic energy production and eliminates the need for energy imports from abroad.
• Gasoline Price Hike Protection: Amendment #395 would require each state governor to approve any regulation that increases gasoline or diesel fuel costs prior to that regulation going into effect.