Earth Equity News

EPA Left to Pick Up Climate Change Where Congress Dropped the Debate. By David A. Fahrenthold and Juliet Eilperin, WashPost, August 4, 2010. "The Obama administration told Congress to find a way to regulate greenhouse gases -- or else... Now the White House is stuck with 'or else.' EPA will soon begin regulating greenhouse gases factory by factory, power plant by power plant. That could be unwieldy, expensive and unpopular -- even President Obama has said it's not his preferred solution. But for now, it's his only option. The next few months could bring a climax to the long-running debate over how to combat climate change, with the EPA trying to implement its rules and industry groups and opponents in Congress seeking to block it with lawsuits or legislation. The administration will cite a mandate from the Supreme Court, which ruled in 2007 that greenhouse gases could be regulated like other air pollutants. But opponents will say it has chosen an approach that stretches the law and could impose serious economic costs. The result of their fight could be the first limits on greenhouse gases from American smokestacks -- or a significant defeat for the White House and environmental groups."