Senate Dems take aim at Republicans over boiler rules

Top Senate Democrats took aim at Republicans Tuesday for trying to soften Environmental Protection Agency boiler pollution regulations as part of a broad package to extend the payroll tax cut.

Democrats said the GOP push for inclusion of the measure to delay and alter the EPA’s boiler rules, known as the boiler MACT, is evidence that Republicans aren’t serious about extending the payroll tax cut.

“Instead of finding commonsense solutions, the Republicans are talking about things that have nothing to do with middle-income taxes -- like the Keystone pipeline, rolling back regulations to keep our air safe and our water clean and pure,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters in the Capitol Tuesday.

“These tactics are stalling -- more evidence the Republicans don't want to extend this tax cut. They talk about extending it but simply are unwilling to do anything to make it a reality.”

Lawmakers and the White House agreed to a two-month extension of payroll tax cut in December. They are now negotiating a full-year extension.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the measure delaying EPA’s boiler rules is a distraction, noting that the proposal has “nothing to do with the tax cut.”

“So we say to Speaker Boehner, instruct your conferees to drop the issue of Boiler MACT,” Schumer said.

House and Senate payroll tax cut conferees discussed the measure to delay the boiler regulations at a meeting last week. Republicans praised the proposal.

“The costs are real, and they are both in dollars and in terms of jobs,” Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said of the boiler regulations at one of a string of meetings to extend the payroll tax cut.

House Republicans included the measure in their payroll tax extension package last year.

Senate Republicans countered Tuesday afternoon that the measure delaying the boiler regulations has bipartisan support.

"My counterpart, the majority leader, yesterday accused us of wanting to poison children because the House-passed payroll tax bill, which is the underlying bill in the conference, includes the boiler MACT provision," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters.

"I mean, is that the kind of rhetoric while the conference is meeting that is designed to get an outcome? I think the facts speak for themselves."

EPA unveiled regulations last year that require industrial boiler and incinerator operators to install technology to reduce harmful air pollutants like mercury and soot.

The agency said the “maximum achievable control technology” standards will offer major public health benefits, preventing 8,100 premature deaths and 5,100 heart attacks a year starting in 2015.

But Republicans, some moderate Democrats and industry groups have launched an aggressive campaign against the regulations, arguing they will cost jobs and burden the economy.

About 300 business groups sent a letter to lawmakers last week urging them to delay the boiler rules in the payroll tax cut package.

This story was updated at 6:20 p.m.