Dems say GOP drilling permit bill has impacts beyond Alaska

House Democrats on Wednesday argued that a Republican bill aimed at speeding up oil drilling off Alaska’s coast would weaken Environmental Protection Agency air pollution controls in wide swaths of the country's offshore areas.

"This legislation will have wide-ranging impacts beyond the Arctic Ocean," House Energy and Commerce Committee ranking member Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) said on the House floor. "The states of California and Delaware have grave concerns about the impact of this bill on their ability to protect public health and welfare from air pollution. In fact, this bill could affect every state on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts."

The legislation, H.R. 2021, would prevent the EPA from regulating emissions from any vessel that services offshore drilling operations as part of the drilling permit process. Waxman and others say the provision will result in more air pollution and could affect many coastal states.

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) noted that the White House on Tuesday said it opposes the bill in part because of the provision.

"The administration opposes H.R. 2021, because it would curtail the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to help ensure that domestic oil production on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) proceeds safely, responsibly, and with opportunities for efficient stakeholder input," a White House Statement of Administration Policy on the bill says.

The Republican legislation would also require permits for offshore exploration to be decided within six months.

The bill is perceived as an effort to ease the permitting process for Shell.

"Shell Oil company has spent five years of time and $3 billion of money trying to drill one well in the Arctic Ocean," Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said. "All this bill does is set up a fair procedure."

After general debate on the bill, members started considering amendments shortly before 4 p.m.

—This story was updated at 4:33 p.m.