Environmental Compliance: EPA Declares Greenhouse Gases a Threat to Human Health, Public Safety
We are about have our weekly CCI staff meeting, but I’m hoping I can fit a post in real quick.
I just caught an article with an interesting angle from the perspective of a subject we have not gotten
into very much since we launched, but that we plan on covering more moving forward: environmental compliance.
According to an article today from the Dallas Morning News the EPA has declared greenhouse gases a health threat. This declaration is seen by many as the first step towards federal regulation of CO2 from power plants, refineries, and vehicles. Certainly, this decision by the EPA will speed up any potential action from Congress in regards to legistlation about global warming.
From the DMN article by Randy Lee Loftis and Elizabeth Souder on the EPA declaration of greenhouse gases as a health threat, and its potential effect specifically on Texas:
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, who announced the proposed health finding, and other Obama administration officials have declared cutting carbon dioxide emissions a key national goal. They add, however, that they would rather have Congress write a comprehensive federal strategy than rely on the EPA to create a complex set of bureaucratic regulations.
“This finding confirms that greenhouse gas pollution is a serious problem now and for future generations,” Jackson said. “Fortunately, it follows President Obama’s call for a low carbon economy and strong leadership in Congress on clean energy and climate legislation.”
Whether the EPA or Congress writes a climate plan, Texas would find itself thrust into a key role. The same factors that make the state first in U.S. emissions of CO2 and seventh worldwide – coal-burning power plants, oil and chemical operations, and cars and trucks for a heavily urban population of 25 million – are also among the state’s economic engines.
Follow the link to read the entire article: EPA declares greenhouse gases a health threat — (Dallas Morning News)
Related resources:
EPA Declares Greenhouse Gases Threat to Human Health — (Treehugger.com – a Discovery Company)
US declares greenhouse gases are threat to public health — (Telegraph.co.uk)
Obama administration declares greenhouse gases a threat to public health — (LA Times)
EPA: Greenhouse gases health threat — (The Swap by the Chicago Tribune)
Tags: Environmental Compliance, EPA
