Congress moves to strip EPA air-quality rules for petroleum storage tanks
H.J.Res. 43 — Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "New Source Performance Standards Review for Volatile Organic Liquid Storage Vessels (Including Petroleum Liquid Storage Vessels)". · Filed by Andrew Clyde (R-GA) · Introduced Feb 12, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This resolution uses the Congressional Review Act to block an EPA rule that tightened pollution standards for storage tanks holding volatile organic liquids like petroleum. If passed, the rule would be nullified and have no legal effect, allowing storage facilities to continue operating under older, less stringent standards.
Why we flagged it
This is a straightforward Congressional Review Act disapproval resolution targeting a specific EPA air-quality rule. It uses the CRA's expedited process to block a regulation without substantive debate, effectively deregulating storage-vessel emissions standards.
What the text implies
- The rule being blocked (89 Fed. Reg. 83296, Oct. 15, 2024) was a review of existing New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for volatile organic liquid storage vessels. Disapproving it may prevent EPA from updating standards to reflect current science or technology, locking in older baselines indefinitely unless Congress acts.
- CRA disapprovals are difficult to reverse: a new rule on the same subject cannot be issued unless Congress passes new legislation authorizing it. This creates a structural barrier to future EPA action on VOC emissions from storage tanks.
- Volatile organic compounds from storage tanks contribute to tropospheric ozone formation, which causes respiratory disease, asthma exacerbation, and premature mortality. The health cost is borne by the public; the compliance cost avoided is borne by petroleum, chemical, and storage industries.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
Blocking the EPA rule removes pollution controls on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that contribute to ground-level ozone, smog, and respiratory harm. Communities near petroleum and chemical storage facilities—often lower-income neighborhoods—bear disproportionate exposure to air pollution; this resolution eliminates a regulatory floor that would have reduced that exposure.
Who stands to gain
- petroleum refining and storage companies
- chemical manufacturers and distributors
- tank storage and logistics operators
- crude oil and natural gas producers
Named in the bill
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Mr. Clyde (sponsor), Congressional Review Act (Chapter 8, Title 5, U.S. Code)
Where it stands
- Feb 12, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Feb 12, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (1,322 characters) on May 21, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
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