Pressure Increases to Stop the EPA GHG Regulations

Jane Van Ryan
Posted March 10, 2010

Two more letters were sent to Capitol Hill late this afternoon, asking Congress to stop the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from moving forward with greenhouse gas regulations.

A group of 98 organizations from across the country sent a letter to the U.S. Senate, asking for passage of the Murkowski-Lincoln resolution of disapproval that would prevent the EPA's proposed regulations.

The letter says efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) should be "decided by Congress, not by the EPA," and notes that there is "strong bipartisan support for Congress to intervene in this matter."

The groups that have signed the letter represent "millions of workers in every state of the nation, in every walk of life, across a broad spectrum of the economy from rural communities to the largest cities," including the American Farm Bureau Federation, the Congress of Racial Equality, the Forging Industry Association, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council and many others.

In a separate letter to congressional leaders, 20 governors said they were "gravely concerned" over the proposed EPA regulations. The governors also stated the regulations "could be harmful to our economies at an especially critical time." They added:

"Economists estimate that states will face their worst fiscal situations within the next two years. As governors, we have the responsibility to protect jobs, promote economic growth, and mitigate any threats to financial stability in our states. We...strongly urge Congress to stop harmful EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions that could damage those vital interests."

The governors who signed the letter hail from Mississippi to Alaska, and from Hawaii to Virginia.

Just a moment ago, API released a statement about the two letters:

"The letters indicate broad-based, growing concern from both state governments and business and industry about the potentially severe adverse impacts of the proposed regulations. The EPA rules would discourage investments in domestic oil and natural gas projects, harm job creation, limit U.S. energy production, and increase import dependence, but their reach would go far beyond energy.

In every part of the nation, they could delay business expansion and new jobs, throw state economies into slow motion, inundate state agencies with added permitting work, and worsen state budget woes. The Clean Air Act was meant to control traditional air pollutants, not greenhouse gas emissions that come from every vehicle, home, factory and farm in America. A fit-for-purpose climate law is a much-preferred solution to addressing the climate challenge."

Tomorrow Virginia's Gov. Bob McDonnell will speak at an energy summit in Richmond on his state's energy future. I'll have more on that during the next couple of days.

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Update on March 11, 2010: Links to the full text of the two letters are now available - Letter from 98 business groups; Letter from 20 governors.