WASHINGTON D.C.-In response to several complaints being raised by constituents about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) reluctance to help communities come into compliance with their regulations, Alaskan Congressman Don Young has introducedH.R. 3450,The Fine Act of 2011.

This legislation would require the EPA to take the money it collects from fines on government entities or private industry, and create community grant programs to aid communities in funding projects to comply with EPA regulations.

“What the EPA is doing here is dead wrong,” said Rep. Young. “In the first place, the EPA is one of the most egregious agencies we have. The EPA bullies other government entities and private companies into paying an absurd amount of fines but rarely offers those entities and communities help in meeting their often difficult, if not impossible, regulations.”

It was brought to the attention of Rep. Young that the EPA has spent millions of dollars to study coal smoke in Russia even as the Fairbanks North Star Borough is trying to piece together funds for voluntary air quality improvement programs which were imposed on the borough by the EPA.

“What’s worse is the EPA refuses to help American communities like Fairbanks, but instead uses American tax dollars to help foreign nations improve their environmental standards,” Rep. Young continued. “My bill would require the EPA to use the money they collect in fines and actually help American communities meet the EPA’s standards.”

H.R. 3450 would prohibit any EPA funds from being used to fund programs or activities outside the U.S.