Best Laid Plans Could Bring Cleaner Air

As you probably know the Environmental Protection Agency posted new plans to curb greenhouse gases (GHG) in the upcoming years. From the EPA press release:

Several states, local governments and environmental organizations sued EPA over the agency’s failure to update the pollution standards for fossil fuel power plants and petroleum refineries, two of the largest source categories of GHG pollution in the United States. Under today’s agreement, EPA will propose standards for power plants in July 2011 and for refineries in December 2011 and will issue final standards in May 2012 and November 2012, respectively.

The New Republic explains what’s going on with the EPA rulings and what is in store for the future. More importantly, the article states unequivocally why this issue should be taken care of in Congress and not through regulation.

Regardless of how forcefully Jackson moves, however, it’s worth noting that the EPA still can’t do nearly as much as Congress when it comes to curbing carbon pollution. Last year, the House passed a cap-and-trade bill that would have cut greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. By contrast, EPA officials think they can whittle emissions down by only 5 percent in the same timeframe.