Texas loses another round in fight over EPA regulation of greenhouse gases

[SpartanDem]

Source: Dallas Morning News

WASHINGTON – Texas lost a third round Wednesday in its legal fight to halt federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions.

Texas had asked the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to block a program that awards construction permits to major sources of greenhouse gas emissions, such as cement kilns and oil refineries. Every other state has begun the permit program or allowed EPA to award permits for them.

On Wednesday, the court denied Texas' request for a stay, clearing the way for the EPA to regulate major sources in Texas. A three-judge panel wrote that Texas didn't satisfy "the stringent standards" required for a stay.

Environmental groups said the decision shows that Gov. Rick Perry and Attorney General Greg Abbott have filed frivolous lawsuits that amount to political statements about global warming.

"Texas is the only state in the nation that refused to let anyone – the state or the feds – issue permits for carbon dioxide, the main cause of global warming," David Doniger, the chief global warming lawyer for the Natural Resources Defense Council, wrote on his blog. "The court's ruling now assures that EPA will be able to fill that void for as long as Texas' leaders continue their grandstanding, so that companies can continue building their projects, but with reasonable limits on all of their dangerous pollutants.



Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/011311dntexepagreenhouse.aa2f3022.html

[Rincewind]

1. Put a giant dome

over Texas, and then let them decide how much pollution to allow.

[northoftheborder]

2. When you say Texas loses, you really mean the people of Texas have won.