mr. chairman , i thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time . 
mr. chairman , refinery emissions cause asthma . 
since the refineries pose a threat to human health , they are regulated under the clean air act ; but this energy bill undermines epa 's ability to enforce clean air standards at refining facilities . 
the provision moves the task of environmental protection from the epa to the department of energy where it does not belong . 
the bill would place the secretary of energy in charge of the permitting process , the official record and the only environmental review document . 
doe is even given the power to issue permits which epa and state governments have denied . 
epa 's three decades of expertise would be supplanted by an agency without experience enforcing the clean air act . 
it may be time to expand existing refineries or build new ones , but epa is not the problem . 
epa has no outstanding refinery permit requests ; and if there were a problem , there would be a backlog , and there is none . 
putting doe in charge will create more bureaucracy , not more refineries . 
epa 's clean air act knowledge is an asset in expedited permitting , not a liability , because the doe is much more likely to issue permits that will be struck down in court . 
please vote for the solis amendment . 
