EPA To Regulate Large Sources of Carbon Dioxide

EPA recently announced that it will be proposing regulations to regulate large sources of greenhouse gases, principally carbon dioxide. The fact sheet is here, and the proposed rule is here. This is widely seen as an attempt by EPA to force Congress into amending the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases. Republicans and moderate Democrats who aren't sold on the need to regulate GHGs may be willing to agree to some limits to avoid more stringent limits being imposed by the EPA.


You have to give EPA credit for doing this in a clever way. EPA has said it will begin regulating GHGs, and wants to help regulated industry by increasing the amount of emissions that are allowed before facilities would be dragged into PSD (prevention of significant deterioration) or new source review. EPA has basically said that the rule is intended as a way to ameliorate the terrible effect of imposing limits on CO2 and other GHGs. Of course, no mention is made of whether such regulation is really needed in the first place. Right now, EPA only intends to cover large sources (at least 25,000 tons of annual emissions), like utilities, petroleum refiners and landfills, all places that environmentalists love to hate. Later, of course, the thresholds will likely be dropped to encompass more sources.

Someone is sure to challenge this, and EPA probably doesn't care, because it is likely to win either way. If you believe in the need to control GHGs, this is a great action. If you're a skeptic like me, you just sigh.

Sixty days will be allowed for public comment. Here's a news report from the Environmental Newswire