EPA Announces Endangerment Finding for Greenhouse Gases. By John Broder, NYTimes, December 8, 2009. "EPA issued a final ruling on December 7 that greenhouse gases posed a danger to human health and the environment, paving the way for regulation of carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles, power plants, factories, refineries and other major sources. The announcement was timed to coincide with the opening of the United Nations conference on climate change in Copenhagen, strengthening President Obama's hand as more than 190 nations struggle to reach a global accord. EPA administrator, Lisa P. Jackson, said that a 2007 decision by the Supreme Court required the agency to weigh whether carbon dioxide and five other climate-altering gases threatened human health and welfare and, if so, to take steps to regulate them. She said Monday that the finding was driven by the weight of scientific evidence that the planet was warming and that human activity was largely responsible.
"The Obama administration had signaled its intent to issue an endangerment finding for carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases (methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride) since taking office in January. Ms. Jackson announced a proposed finding in April and has since taken steps to draft the rules needed to back it up. The administration has used the finding as a prod to Congress, saying that if lawmakers do not act to control greenhouse gas pollution it will use its rule-making power to do so. At the same time, the president and his top environmental aides have said that they prefer such a major step be taken through the legislative process."
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