The issue over the truth behind global warming, climate change and the impact of greenhouse gases just won’t subside in America where US House Members have issued a joint resolution to nullify the Environmental Protection Agency’s finding in December 2009 that greenhouse gases are a threat to human health and could be regulated under the Clean Air Act.
Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo), Congressman Collin Peterson (D-Minn) and Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo) introduced the joint resolution after US Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas) earlier introduced an identical resolution in the US Senate.
Under the terms of the Congressional Review Act of 1996, Congress now has 60 legislative days to review a major rule under expedited legislative procedures and consider a resolution. Should the disapproval resolution be enacted the rule may not take effect and the agency is not allowed to issue a similar rule without statutory authorisation.
According to Congressman Skelton, when Congress passed the Clean Air Act it never gave the EPA the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions for the purpose of stopping climate change – but, he says, that is exactly what it is proposing to do. Congressman Skelton outlined that the resolution of disapproval will not stop Congress working on energy legislation but stated that he hopes it will opt for a more scaled back bipartisan bill rather than cap and trade.
Under the terms of President Obama’s national fuel policy, the EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had been developing a harmonised national policy with the intent of reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions that would cover model years 2012-2016 and require an average fuel economy standard of 35.5mpg in 2016.
We’d love to hear your comments on the objections to the EPA’s ruling. Do you agree with the logic or are these politicians showing a lack of foresight? Leave a comment below with your thoughts.
