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EPA Expected to Start Limiting CO2 Emissions

Agency will act on ignored Supreme Court ruling

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 19, 2009 6:46 AM CST

(Newser) – The EPA is expected to soon start regulating emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases for the first time, reports the New York Times. The agency is under an order—ignored by the Bush administration—to decide whether CO2 is a pollutant that endangers the public. Obama administration officials have signaled that an affirmative decision will be forthcoming within weeks.

The move would give the EPA broad powers to limit emissions under the Clean Air Act. Critics, including some Democrats, complain that would create a "glorious mess" of regulations. Environmentalists say the decision is long overdue, although they see EPA regulation as just a stopgap measure until Congress can create more comprehensive climate change legislation. There is expectation that EPA administrator Lisa Jackson will act by April 2, the second anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (2)]

Sunflower Electric Cooperative's coal-fired power plant churns out electricity in this Friday, Feb. 2, 2007 file photo in Holcomb, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel )

Under the clean air law any source, from factories to schools to bakeries, emitting over 250 tons of a pollutant is subject to regulation, leading some critics to call it the 'Dunkin Donuts Act.' (©darkensiva)

EPA administrator Lisa Jackson says the Supreme Court requiring the EPA to decide whether CO2 is a pollutant puts the agency at the center of the national discussion on climate and energy. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)

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Potentially, it’s a huge mess, not only for EPA but for state regulatory agencies, because the Clean Air Act is second only to the Internal Revenue Code in terms of complexity. - Jeffrey R. Holmstead, former head of the agency’s office of air and radiation

We are loudly advocating for tailor-made legislation as the best means of addressing carbon emissions. Trying to address climate change via a series of rule makings from EPA is a distant second best. - David Bookbinder, chief climate counsel at the Sierra Club

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 5 comments

riffran

Feb 22, 2009 4:35 AM CST

one school of thought, is with more water on the planet in a liquid state, there would be more rainfall and overall vegitation would increase, removing more CO2, and buffering the system.....but the resultant land loss may increase the population density per square mile, and destroy the very vegitation that would be the saving grace....but that is one of many unproven theories

Guest

Feb 20, 2009 4:34 AM CST

Why bother? Global warming will help humans with our population problem. It saves people from actually thinking.

riffran

Feb 20, 2009 2:31 AM CST

I do beleive Fergola was employing some subtle sharp witted sarcasm..(funny as hell.I might add .lol )....but the article did have one point I thought was very true....."Critics, including some Democrats, complain that would create a "glorious mess" of regulations.".....If anybody out there has had to deal with medicare/medicade, EPA standards, and other Govt. regulated areas, the red tape is a fricken nightmare, and the nightmare varies from state to state, county to county......confusing to the point of near nonfunctionality

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climate change • carbon dioxide • Clean Air Act • Environmental Protection Agency • carbon emissions • EPA • greenhouse-gas emissions • Obama administration • Lisa Jackson

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EPA Expected to Start Limiting CO2 Emissions