Monday, January 07, 2013

Tim Scott - - U.S. Senator - - Energy & Environment

Tim Scott

On December 17, 2012, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley named Timothy Eugene "Tim" Scott (born September 19, 1965) to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Jim DeMint who announced his resignation earlier that month. 

Scott is the only African American member of the U.s. Senate as well as only the seventh African American to have ever served in the United States Senate. Scott is the first-ever African-American senator from the state of South Carolina and the first from the South since 1881.

Scott is a former U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 1st congressional district.  Elected in November 2010, to the 112th Congress, he was the first Republican African-American Representative from South Carolina since 1897.

Senator Scott has been added to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Energy and Environment Background

The NAACP considers climate change to be a civl rights issue. Scott drew an “F” on the NAACP’s legislative report card and one of its 20 core civil rights concerns is support for EPA efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Scott opposes EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. 

Scott successfully advocated for federal funds for a Charleston harbor dredging project estimated at $300 million, arguing that the project is neither an earmark nor an example of wasteful government spending.  He said the project was merit-based, and in the national interest because larger cargo ships could use the port and jobs would be created.

Scott had a 6% voting score according the the League of Conservation Voters scorecard for the 1st session of the 112th Congress.

In 2011, Scott voted for H.R. 2021, Jobs and Energy Permitting Act of 2011.  The bill would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from measuring air pollution caused by oil drilling on water. Rather, the EPA would be limited to measuring such pollution emitted on land. In addition, the underlying oil drilling bill would eliminate the Environmental Appeals Board’s authority to review applications for oil drilling leases. Under the bill, the authority to review challenges to oil drilling permitting decisions would instead be vested in the D.C. Court of Appeals.

In 2012, Scott voted for H.R. 2250, EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011, This bill would invalidate several Environmental Protection Agency regulations in industrial boilers intended to bring them into compliance with the Clean Air Act. (These were often referred to as the "Boiler MACT" rules, for "maximum achievable control technology.") It says that instead the EPA must take 15 months to issue new "achievable" rules for boilers, process heaters, and incinerators. The bill stipulates that the rules impose the least burdensome regulatory alternatives consistent with the purposes of the Clean Air Act. Also, compliance deadlines would be extended from three years to at least five years.
The bill is a response to industry complaints that the compliance costs of the EPA rules would be prohibitive.

In 2012, Scott voted for (H.R. 4480) Strategic Energy Production Act.  This bill would encourage the expansion of federal lands designated for oil and gas development and exploration if the president deems it necessary to tap the National Strategic Oil Reserve to relieve a gasoline supply shortage. It would require the Department of Energy to develop a plan for expanded domestic production once there is a withdrawal from the reserve. National Park System and National Wilderness Preservation System lands would not be included in lands designated for federal oil and gas production.

In 2012, Scott vote for HR 3409 - Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012

"On The Issues: Tim Scott on Energy & Oil"
 
Scott graduated from Charleston Southern University in 1988 with a B.S. in Political Science.  In addition to his political career, Scott owns an insurance agency, and works as a financial advisor. (Wikipedia, The Middle Class)

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