(Image: CO2 Emissions in the U.S.)
Perhaps its obvious that the window of opportunity to obtain an air permit without CO2 controls is closing quickly. Don’t delude yourself that controls will wait for Congressional action on climate change.
The battle over requiring CO2 controls without additional rulemaking or legislation is being waged right now. The saga is being played out
Senator Barbara Boxer sent a letter to the Department of Justice demanding withdraw of what she calls a "blatantly illegal memo" issued by EPA Administrator Steve Johnson in response to the Deseret Power decision. The memo says that CO2 (and other greenhouse gases-GHGs) are not yet regulated pollutants under the Clean Air Act. As
When the Environmental Review Board (EAB) issued its decision in Deseret Power, the Sierra Club and many others across the Internet declared victory claiming the decision would block permits for new coal fired power plants for the immediate future. Looks like they may have been premature…
The EPA issued a significant interpretive memorandum in response to the Deseret Power
A federal district court in Rhode Island has dismissed all the claims filed by the Auto companies seeking to strike down Rhode Island’s greenhouse gas regulations for new cars. The decision did not reach the merits of regulating greenhouse gases from automobiles. The Federal Court ruled that the Auto companies were prevented from challenging the
It didn’t take long for the Deseret Power Decision to come back to Ohio. The debate is over whether a permit for the proposed coal to liquid fuel plant proposed by Baard Energy and AMP Ohio’s new coal power plant can move forward in light of the decision. Here is a sampling of the debate
Talk about your pro-bowl quality punts…U.S. EPA’s Environmental Appeals Board made a major one this week on the issue of climate change. All eyes were fixated on the Board waiting for their decision on whether the Clean Air Act requires immediate regulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs-which include CO2). The Board’s answer? We would rather
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ABSURD –adjective 1.utterly or obviously senseless, illogical, or untrue; contrary to all reason or common sense; laughably foolish or false: an absurd explanation. –noun 2.the quality or condition of existing in a meaningless and irrational world. |
It is hard to believe but there are those who think regulating greenhouse gases under the current framework
Recently, there has been quite a buzz around the issue of using the existing authority in the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. In July, U.S. EPA issued its Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) responding to the Supreme Court’s decision in Massachusetts v. EPA and soliciting comment on use of the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases
Lets get everyone up to speed with events on regulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) including CO2:
1. Supreme Court says CO2 is a pollutant under the Clean Air Act. In Massachusetts v. EPA decided in April of 2007, the Supreme Court held that GHGs are pollutants that may be regulated under the Clean Air Act. But
The creativity of those opposed to new coal plants seems to have no bounds. The most recent effort is to place a referendum on the ballot to allow citizens to vote whether a permit should be issued for a new coal plant in Utah. The referendum would amend the county’s conditional-use permit ordinance to require voter approval prior