President Obama’s team will make some
substitutions this New Year. Among the changes will
be the departure of his Environmental Protection
Agency Administrator, Lisa Jackson.
Under her tenure, the EPA found global warming to be
a deleterious threat, making way for the agency she
led to take steps to reduce greenhouse gases. But
she has also acted to cut power plant pollution
streams that flow downwind as well as to reduce
mercury emissions.
Ms. Jackson, though, is not a lone wolf. She has
derived her authority from President Obama.
Therefore, whomever replaces Jackson will be just as
vigilant. While the actions that she propelled will
move forward, the business community has probably
seen the administration’s most aggressive positions
put forth. The White House will likely be consumed
for a period with tax reform, gun control and
immigration reform.
“There is much more on the agenda: air pollution,
toxic chemicals and children’s health issues,
redevelopment and waste-site cleanup issues, and
justice for the communities that bear
disproportionate risk,” says the now former
Administrator Jackson. “So, I will leave the EPA
confident the ship is sailing in the right
direction.”
EPA’s moves have affected the coal sector more than
others. Under Jackson’s leadership, her agency found
that greenhouse gas emissions harmed public health
and the environment. That ruling has since been
upheld by the federal courts. And, a year ago, the
EPA demanded -- using the 1990 Clean Air Act as its
guidepost -- that coal-fired power plants implement
best available technologies to cut their mercury
emissions by 90 percent.
EPA estimates that the cost of carrying out the new
mercury rules will be about $9.6 billion annually.
But it also says that payback will be as much as $90
billion by 2016 when all power plants are expected
to be in compliance, or closed. The coal industry is
upset with the new mercury rules, however, noting
that the associated costs and the resulting job
losses will be too much for the economy to bear.
Manufacturers say that will suffer most, noting that
they use a third of all energy supplies.
Lisa Jackson “has a degree in chemical engineering
from Princeton University, which means she is
smart,” says James Rust, policy advisor for the
Heartland Institute, a conservative think tank.
“I simply strongly disagree with her thinking that
the burning of fossil fuels causes global warming
and the EPA should stop the use of fossil fuels by
regulation.
“Unfortunately, her replacement may pose the same
problems by attempting to abolish use of our
abundant fossil fuels and propel the United States’
economy to third world status,” he adds.
What’s Next?
Who might replace Jackson? The
National Journal is listing a handful of
possibilities including Gina McCarthy, who is an
assistant EPA administrator overseeing air and
radiation issues. It also says that New Jersey’s
environmental commissioner Bradley Campbell is being
considered as well as the former head of
Pennsylvania’s environmental protection unit,
Kathleen McGinty. Finally, the publication notes
that Heather Zichal, who is a top aide on energy and
environmental issues in the Obama White House is
popular among greenies.
Obviously, the big issue that environmental
organizations want to see addressed during Obama’s
second term is that of climate change. While the
administration has been enacting stricter air
quality rules to encourage a shift away from older
technologies and into cleaner ones, critics say that
those steps are falling short of what is needed. To
that end, they are demanding that the United States
enact firm carbon cuts to avoid an unnatural rise in
global temperatures, which would require endorsing
the next round of international climate talks.
What’s next? Increasing economic production and job
creation top the administration’s aims. But its path
remains centered on a high-tech, clean-tech economy
that favors next-generation fuels. The solution then
rest with the degree to which officials establish
the regulatory nuances in relation to the existing
free market forces. It is about optimizing the
intersection between ecological and economic
concerns.
"My hope is that West Virginia (and the nation) can
find common ground in advancing clean coal no matter
who is at the helm of this important agency, because
new technology is the only realistic and honest path
we have to a secure future for our coal industry
and, more importantly, our coal miners," says
Senator Jay Rockefeller, D-WV.
Lisa Jackson has been a passionate advocate for
environmental causes. But she could not have
prevailed without the administration’s blessings,
meaning that almost no changes will occur in EPA’s
philosophy over the next four years.
EnergyBiz Insider has been awarded the Gold for
Original Web Commentary presented by the American
Society of Business Press Editors. The column is
also the Winner of the 2011 Online Column category
awarded by Media Industry News, MIN. Ken Silverstein
has been honored as one of MIN’s Most Intriguing
People in Media.
Twitter: @Ken_Silverstein
energybizinsider@energycentral.com
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