Update on EPA GHG Regulations
Jane Van Ryan
Posted February 23, 2010
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) plan to regulate greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) is shaping up as one of the most contested government policies in years. During the past few weeks:
- Sen. Lisa Murkowski introduced a resolution of disapproval in the U.S. Senate that could stop the regulations.
- Members of the House introduced similar legislation.
- Three state attorneys-general and several trade associations filed petitions with the Washington, D.C., federal court of appeals to force EPA to review the endangerment finding that allows it to promulgate GHG regulations.
- Last Friday, eight Senate Democrats sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson citing "serious economic and energy security concerns."
- Yesterday Jackson responded, saying that EPA would delay the enforcement of regulations on large greenhouse gas emitters and scale back emissions limits on others.
In a news release, Jackson outlined the timetable for GHG regulations and noted that EPA is considering a modification of the rule that requires large facilities to obtain permits demonstrating that they are using the "best practices and technologies" to reduce GHG emissions.
When asked about Jackson's statement, API's President and CEO Jack Gerard said:
"Administrator Jackson's statement is an acknowledgement of the serious concerns in using the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. But EPA still has failed the recognize the fundamental issue--that an administrative rulemaking should not usurp the role of Congress in developing what could be the most significant energy/climate policy in the nation's history."
This week EPA's 2011 budget is the subject of hearings on Capitol Hill, and this issue is continuing to be discussed. Stay tuned...