(This is very great news, a major victory for President Obama, the EPA, and the environment. – promoted by lowkell)
U.S. Appellate Court affirms EPA authority to regulate greenhouse gas
Washington, DC – Congressman Jim Moran, Northern Virginia Democrat and Ranking Member on the Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, today applauded the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruling to uphold the EPA’s authority to enforce the Clean Air Act and dismiss all challenges over the EPA’s Timing and Tailoring rules regarding greenhouse gas reductions from automobiles and emission limits from large stationary sources like power plants.
“Today’s decision makes it clear: EPA has the authority under the current Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases.” said Rep. Moran. “I applaud the fact that the auto industry has worked with EPA and NHTSA to develop fuel efficiency and tailpipe standards that will result in greater consumer savings and less carbon, up to six billion tons, in the atmosphere.”
The Court’s decision arrives one day before the House Appropriations Committee is set to debate the EPA’s Fiscal Year 2013 funding bill. Two anti-environment Republican amendments are expected to try and block the court ruling just upheld today.
“As the Appropriations Committee works through the Fiscal Year 2013 budget, including funding for the EPA, I hope Republicans will consider the ruling of the U.S. Appellate Court before continuing to hack away at the EPA’s budget and block it from carrying out its responsibilities under the law,” Moran continued. “The EPA safeguards the health of our water and air, not just for those living today, but for future generations as well. It is time we quit taking political aim at this agency and give the EPA the support it needs.”
The court case, Coalition for Responsible Regulations v. EPA, followed an Endangerment Finding issued by the EPA in December 2009 on the negative impact greenhouse gases have on public health. A group of individuals charged the EPA’s ensuing Timing and Tailoring regulation (that enabled EPA to regulate automobile tailpipe emissions and stationary sources separately) was based on an inaccurate understanding of the Clean Air Act.
After hearing arguments, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit dismissed all of the charges, ruling that “1) the Endangerment Finding and Tailpipe Rule are neither arbitrary nor capricious; 2) EPA’s interpretation of the governing CAA provisions is unambiguously correct; and 3) no petitioner has standing to challenge the Timing and Tailoring Rules. We thus dismiss for lack of jurisdiction all petitions for review of the Timing and Tailoring Rules, and deny the remainder of the petitions.”
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