S.1584 - Transparency and Honesty in Energy Regulations Act of 2025 (119th Congress)
Summary
S.1584, the "Transparency and Honesty in Energy Regulations Act of 2025," aims to prevent federal agencies from considering the social cost of carbon, methane, nitrous oxide, or any other greenhouse gas in their decision-making processes. This includes cost-benefit analyses, rulemakings, and other agency actions. The bill also mandates a report to Congress detailing past uses of these social cost metrics since 2009.
The bill prioritizes environmental considerations explicitly required by Congress and emphasizes the use of robust assessment methodologies. It also seeks to align federal agency estimates of greenhouse gas emission changes with guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-4.
Ultimately, the bill intends to limit the scope of environmental considerations in federal decision-making, focusing on direct mandates from Congress and established OMB guidelines.
Expected Effects
If enacted, S.1584 would likely lead to a shift in how federal agencies evaluate the environmental impact of their actions. Agencies would be restricted from using the social cost of greenhouse gases, potentially leading to less stringent environmental regulations.
This could result in reduced consideration of long-term climate impacts in policy decisions. It may also affect the stringency of environmental regulations and permitting processes.
Potential Benefits
- Potentially reduces regulatory burdens on businesses, leading to lower compliance costs.
- May streamline the permitting process for energy projects.
- Could lead to lower energy prices for consumers in the short term.
- Promotes the use of environmental considerations explicitly required by congressional acts.
- Focuses on using robust methodologies for environmental assessment.
Potential Disadvantages
- May lead to inadequate consideration of the long-term environmental and public health costs associated with greenhouse gas emissions.
- Could hinder efforts to mitigate climate change and adapt to its impacts.
- Potentially disproportionately impacts vulnerable communities that are more susceptible to environmental harms.
- May weaken environmental regulations and protections.
- Could negatively impact the U.S.'s international standing on climate change.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill's alignment with the Constitution is complex. Congress has broad authority to regulate interstate commerce (Article I, Section 8), which can include environmental regulations. However, the bill's emphasis on specific methodologies and limitations on agency considerations could be interpreted as an attempt to control agency discretion, raising questions about the separation of powers.
Furthermore, the bill's focus on environmental considerations explicitly required by congressional acts could be seen as an effort to ensure that regulations are based on clear statutory authority, aligning with principles of limited government and the rule of law.
However, some may argue that restricting the use of certain scientific metrics infringes upon the executive branch's duty to faithfully execute the laws (Article II, Section 3) by preventing agencies from fully considering the best available science.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).