New York, NY - The Environmental Protection Agency responded to
questions from eight U.S. Senators on the EPA's plans to use the
Clean Air Act to reduce global warming pollution.
Following is a response by David Doniger, Policy Director for
NRDC's Climate Center:
"Using the Clean Air Act to reduce carbon pollution requires
nothing different than what we've repeatedly done over the course of
four decades for other kinds of pollution: follow the science, act
when pollution endangers our health and welfare, and use available
and affordable technology to clean up vehicles, power plants, and
other big pollution sources. It's practical, effective, affordable,
and it works."
Additional Background:
EPA's answers to the Senators' questions demonstrate carbon
pollution can be reduced under the Clean Air Act in an effective and
reasonable manner by phasing in available, affordable technology on
the biggest sources, such as power plants and vehicles.
EPA answers show that:
- Enacting the Murkowski resolution would put the Congress in
the position of denying the science of climate change. In
Administrator Jackson's words, a vote for resolution would "move
the United States to a position behind that of China on the
issue of climate change, and more in line with the position of
Saudi Arabia."
- The Murkowski resolution also would hurt the auto industry
by preventing issuance of the consensus national standards for
carbon emissions from new vehicles announced last year by
President Obama and supported by the auto industry, labor, and
environmentalists and the states. That's because without EPA's
national standards, car makers would have to comply with
standards set by California and 13 other states.
- The EPA letter lays out a schedule for implementing carbon
limits on only the largest new and expanded power plants and
factories that are built starting in 2011. From that point
forward, they will have to apply only available and affordable
pollution control measures.
- There will be no requirements for even the largest
stationary sources this year. This schedule allows a reasonable
transition time for companies planning to build or expand the
largest sources. And there will be no requirements for smaller
sources, which traditionally have not been required to get clean
air construction permits.
SOURCE: Natural Resources Defense Council