The above is not an argument that has seen much success though.
That being said, when you say "enforce the rules congress sets up", you are touching on an issue that many on the conservative side of the aisle frequently complain about, specifically that Congress often passes laws that leave enormous amounts of discretion to regulatory agencies. Sometimes literally saying "establish regulations that are meant to achieve X goal" and leaving the actual rules, that have the full force of law, up to bureaucrats to establish.
I'm not against the EPA writing a proposed law and then sending it to congress to pass: it is not possible for congress to be expert enough to write all the required regulations correctly. However it should be (in my opinion which you don't seem to get) up to congress to pass the rule or not in the end.
I will allow the executive to make a temporary regulation until congress can pass the law, but only so far as the law goes into effect (if passed) on the date of the regulation, until congress passes the law nothing will happen if you violate it - of course if it passes that is willful violation which may have a higher price to pay. If you can convince congress not to pass the law the regulation disappears at the end of the next session of congress and cannot be brought back.