Rockefeller sponsors Senate bill to suspend EPA action on CO2 emissions
U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., introduced a bill in the Senate on Jan. 31 calling for a two-year suspension of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulation of carbon dioxide emissions from coal plants and manufacturing facilities.
Rockefeller's bill, which gained the backing of Democratic Sens. Jim Webb of Virginia, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Kent Conrad of North Dakota, is narrower in scope than legislation that Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., introduced on Jan. 31. Barrasso's sweeping bill would stop the Obama administration from regulating CO2 and other greenhouse gases for the purpose of addressing climate change without the specific authorization of Congress.
While Rockefeller's bill would simply delay EPA rules on emissions from stationary sources under the Clean Air Act for two years, Barrasso's bill would pre-empt federal restrictions on greenhouse gases "in the name of addressing climate change" stemming from the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act.
House panel to hold hearing on bill to block EPA from regulating climate change
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich.; Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky.; and Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., ranking Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released draft legislation Feb. 2 to block the EPA's regulation of carbon emissions from coal plants and manufacturing facilities.
The Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Energy and Power, chaired by Whitfield, plans to hold a hearing Feb. 9 on the discussion draft, the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011. The draft follows on the heels of the legislation introduced in the Senate by Rockefeller to delay EPA carbon regulations and the bill sponsored by Barrasso to block federal regulations aimed at addressing climate change without the authorization of Congress.
EPA proposes no changes to CO standard until further review
The EPA announced Jan. 31 that it is proposing not to change the national air quality standards for carbon monoxide, reasoning that science shows that the current standards will protect people. The agency is, however, proposing changes to the ambient air monitoring requirements for CO.
The current health standards for CO emissions are 9 parts per million measured over eight hours and 35 ppm measured over one hour. The colorless, odorless gas is emitted from combustion processes, most of which come from motor vehicles.
DOE-funded report backs state-dominated, private model for CO2 pipeline development
A Feb. 1 report backed financially by the U.S. Department of Energy suggests a private model dominated by state, not federal, regulation might be the best path toward a multistate network of CO2 pipelines.
But a federal role that "includes incentives to encourage the private construction of CO2 pipelines" could help move the nation toward a robust CO2 pipeline network, the study said. Federal rules that ensure pipeline safety are also important, according to the study.
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