Posted by Jamie in Climate Change, Green Articles | 0 Comments
EPA declares greenhouse gases public enemy No. 1
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In a landmark filing today, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases are an official threat to the public. This announcement is certain to spark a far-reaching debate on US energy policy, and will have enormous implications for the American economy and future legislation.
A wide range of industries will be potentially impacted by this ruling, including oil refineries, car manufactures, cement makers, and power companies. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said the agency’s analysis made some solid conclusions, citing that the study “confirms greenhouse gas pollution is a serious problem now and for future generations.”
Proponents and opponents are already entangled in a heated debate over environmental law. Business groups have criticized the Clean Air Act would drive many companies out of businesses, while environmentalists believe current legislation does not go far enough.
The announcement is a dramatic shift in policy from the Bush Administration. After years of refusing to participate in the Kyoto Protocols, the US government under the Obama Administration could potentially change course and agree to worldwide environmental standards. For his part, President Obama prefers Congressional initiatives over agency mandates to limit global warming, and has worked hard to push stronger environmental laws through Congress.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Obama could use the EPA’s ruling to bypass stalled legislation and enforce environmental mandates. But this route could take a very long time, with any mandates likely to be tied up with court challenges and complicated regulatory procedures. At this time, it is not clear how the Obama Administration will react to the EPA’s environmental bombshell.
EPA officials have stressed that they will take their time, scheduling a series of public hearing and government reviews before making their announcement official government policy. “Whatever the process it, it will be the time-honored and ordinary process of soliciting public input, comments, hearings, with time to digest, then come to conclusions,” one EPA official commented.
But regardless of the process, the EPA is determined to move forward. “We’re not thinking about this as a backstop,” the EPA official said. “This is something legally mandated for us to do.”
More articles on the EPA announcement:
- USNews and World Report on the EPA ruling.
- CNN report on the EPA announcement.
- Associated Press report on the EPA.
