Senate Votes To Limit EPA And Clean Air Act From Regulating Greenhouse Gases

[Robbien]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- In the absence of congressional action on climate change, the Senate is heading toward a much-watched vote on whether the Obama administration should be allowed to go ahead with regulations curtailing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and other major polluters.

The Republican-led measure coming to a vote late Thursday would stop the Environmental Protection Agency from carrying out rules to regulate carbon and other greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

At least four Democrats have indicated their support for the legislation, and the vote is expected to be close. The measure will produce the most important vote this year on the climate change issue and is seen as a test of where lawmaker sentiments lie.

The White House on Tuesday said President Barack Obama would be advised to veto the bill if it ever reaches his desk. The bill, it said, "would undermine the administration's efforts to reduce the negative impacts of pollution and the risks associated with environmental catastrophes, like the ongoing BP oil spill."

The sponsor of the legislation, GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski from oil-rich Alaska, said she was "flabbergasted" by the effort to link her bill to the Gulf disaster, saying her intent was to stop bureaucratic usurping of congressional authority.

"You either support the Congress setting the policy on climate change or you support the EPA in their capacity as a regulatory agency setting policy," she said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/10/senate-votes-to-limit-epa_n_607289.html


Congress or the EPA, is there really a difference these days? Both are pro-corporate, but there's always a hope that the EPA will someday get back to doing its job of protecting the environment. There's never a hope for congresscritters.

[kenfrequed]

1. Uhm what??!

And why should I take the word of a climate-change denying flat earther like Murkowski, to do anything resembling a the creation of a solid policy regarding this?

Oh, and this really isn't a policy this is an invitation to chaos and another Republican lassiez faire dergulation.

[azul]

2. Why are corporate Repub's allowed to introduce such a bill?

The EPA has a mission to protect the environment and life, as should be the intent of the laws passed by the senate.

Some of these geniuses in congress would kill us all for a buck from corporations if given the chance. Throw the bums out that have conflict of interest or have received bribes from the industry.