Two years after the Bush administration ignored unanimous findings of a Supreme Court ordered EPA study on the effects of GHG’s, something is finally being done.The EPA is expected to declare that C02 threaten public health. While not exactly ground-breaking news, this is the first substantive step in the right direction of its kind in quite a while. NYT reports
But regardless of the EPA’s plans, the Obama administration has set forth ambitious plans, including the cap & trade scheme, which would preceed any EPA actionn. Personally, I much prefer leglislating energy policy than trying to regulate consumption administratively. A combination is likely a wise approach.
The extent to which the EPA will involve itself in energy regulation is yet to be announced. Early speculations, such as the following by Roger Martella – genearl counsel at EPA during Bush – suggest a very prominent role in carbon control:
The proposal, once finalized, will give EPA far more responsibility than addressing climate change. …It effectively will assign E.P.A. broad authority over the use and control of energy, in turn authorizing it to regulate virtually every sector of the economy.
