Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Court throws out EPA clean-air rule

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
Home » Discuss » General Discussion Donate to DU
 
No Elephants Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-22-12 04:26 AM
Original message
Court throws out EPA clean-air rule
Court throws out EPA clean-air rule

Published: Aug. 21, 2012 at 7:54 PM

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency overstepped its authority with stringent regulations aimed at interstate emissions, a federal appeals court said Tuesday.

The court in the District of Columbia threw out the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule in a 2-1 decision, The Washington Post reported. The Obama administration adopted the regulation to deal with emissions from power plants in the Midwest that contribute to smog and acid rain in eastern states.

<snip>

The agency predicted that by 2014 nitrogen oxide levels would be cut by more than half and sulfur dioxide emissions by 73 percent. The rule, which was supposed to take effect last year, has not been enforced because of the legal challenge by several Texas companies, the state, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the National Mining Association.

<snip.

"EPA can't force states to do more than their fair share, and can't force 'one size fits all' federal programs without allowing states to craft their own solution," said Joseph Stanko, head of government relations at Hunton & Williams, a law firm representing utilities using coal-fired plants.

Environmentalists said the court decision does not solve the problem of air pollution carried on the wind.

"This rule would have prevented thousands of premature deaths and saved tens of billions of dollars a year in health costs, but two judges blocked that from happening and forced EPA to further delay long overdue health safeguards for Americans," John Walke, clean air director of the National Resources Defense Council, said in a statement. "The majority opinion is an outlier at odds with the court's own rulings as well as the Clean Air Act."

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2012/08/21/Court-throws-out-EPA-clean-air-rule/UPI-57121345593297/#ixzz24GVbzdbo

oh great. One of the rare occasions one of the federal agencies we pay for tries to protect human persons, and a federal court puts a kibosh on it.

We are so screwn.
Refresh | +1 Recommendations Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top

Home » Discuss » General Discussion Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC