Air

Tracking the latest agency and congressional debates over rules to cut emissions of traditional pollutants, and a broad range of novel EPA policies including the agency's shift to a "multipollutant" regulatory approach for individual sectors.

Topic Subtitle
Tracking the latest agency and congressional debates over rules to cut emissions of traditional pollutants, and a broad range of novel EPA policies including the agency's shift to a "multipollutant" regulatory approach for individual sectors.

CHICAGO CLIMATE EXCHANGE OFFICIALS MAY CHANGE EMISSIONS TARGETS

America's major voluntary carbon emissions trading program, the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), may adjust the "baseline" years that are used to target emissions reductions -- making it easier to attract more companies into the program. CCX officials are also considering other changes to the voluntary trading network, such as recognizing projects in developing countries. Several dozen companies have been participating since 2003 in the exchange, which creates a market for emissions credits for carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases,...

REVISED MCCAIN-LIEBERMAN BILL WOULD EXAMINE GREENHOUSE IMPACT ON POOR

A new version of climate change legislation introduced by Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) calls on the Department of Commerce to study the effect of global warming on low-income populations around the world. The proposal is one of the few changes the senators have made to the legislation from a version introduced in last year's Congress, as they seek to broaden support for establishing climate change regulations. The legislation, introduced Feb. 10, is the latest version of...

Data Show Minimal Costs From New England's CO2 Cap-And-Trade Program

New modeling data on New England's upcoming greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program suggest that major energy efficiency efforts could allow for a modest carbon dioxide (CO2) cap at very little cost to the economy, while also minimizing concerns about emissions "leakage" to other parts of the country, sources familiar with the modeling say. But industry officials are raising a host of concerns with the new modeling results. They question whether significant energy efficiency gains are feasible and say the model may...

Industry Study Pushes Global Technology Rather Than CO2 Regulations

An industry trade group is calling for a global effort to promote the development of new technologies that address greenhouse gas emissions, as an alternative to mandatory emissions reduction programs that the group considers costly and ineffectual. The report also indicates that EPA may have a role to play in crafting effective regulations for new innovations, such as nanotechnology, that may emerge as a way to curb these emissions. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce issued a report Feb. 16 calling...

Senate Clean Air Chairman Seeks Distance From Inhofe Inquiry Of State Group

Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH), the chairman of the Senate clean air subcommittee, appears to be distancing himself from an inquiry by environment committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-OK) into the finances of a group representing state air officials that opposes the Bush administration's Clear Skies utility emissions proposal. Some observers say Inhofe's inquiry could distract key players from pending talks on the Clear Skies bill at a time when key lawmakers, congressional staff and others are seeking to develop a compromise...

Western States Hope To Minimize Impact Of Court Ruling On Regional Haze

Western state officials are trying to assess whether they can minimize the impact of a recent federal court ruling that may invalidate an emissions trading program for several western states designed to improve visibility. A source with the Western Governors' Association (WGA) says there is some discussion underway on whether it might be possible for states or EPA provide additional analysis to bolster the legal basis for the trading program. "We are going to look at the decision and determine...

FERC Push For Low-Cost Energy May Benefit Environment

A proposal by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for expanded authority to require electricity utilities to use the lowest-cost power generation could result in environmental benefits in some areas of the country, as well as reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, according to industry officials and environmentalists. But one environmentalist says more analysis is needed to determine whether the additional authority would boost use of older coal-fired plants or result in cleaner sources of energy. At issue is a request...

EPA-State Pact Marks Growing Interest In Energy-Environment Linkage

EPA has launched a new partnership with California, New York, and nine other states to reduce greenhouse gases and help meet federal clean air goals by aggressively implementing a wide range of clean energy policies and programs, the latest development in an emerging trend among states to win environmental gains through cost-effective energy reductions. While the energy-related programs being pushed by states would provide regulators only a small part of the emission reductions they need to attain EPA's national air...

INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE STUDY EXAMINES FEASIBILITY OF CO2 STORAGE

An upcoming report being developed by an international panel of experts may suggest it is possible to capture and store significant quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a way to curb climate change, without creating unmanageable environmental risks. But the report being developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) may also identify significant challenges for regulators if they require carbon sequestration, as well as gaps in the current legal and regulatory framework for such practices. At issue is...

EPA, WHITE HOUSE AGREE ON CLIMATE INDICATORS TO INCLUDE IN AGENCY REPORT

The Bush administration has agreed to include three measures for evaluating the performance of EPA climate change initiatives in the second version of the agency's report on the state of the environment -- a significant departure after EPA did not include any measures in the last version of the report because of agency disagreement with the White House. EPA sources say the draft 2006 version of EPA's Report on the Environment (ROE), which uses scientific indicators to track environmental trends,...

CLEAR SKIES CRITICS DOUBT TWO-WEEK MARKUP DELAY WILL PROMPT DEAL

Democrats and other critics of the Bush administration's Clear Skies utility pollution legislation say they are pessimistic that Senate Republicans' decision to delay an environment committee markup for two weeks will result in a broad compromise, and are instead calling for more open-ended discussions. These critics say the two weeks allotted for the talks does not provide enough time to address carbon dioxide (CO2) and other complex issues, in part, because lawmakers will not be able to meet face-to-face during...

White House Agrees To Include Climate Change Measures In EPA Report

The White House has agreed to allow inclusion of three measures for evaluating the effectiveness of EPA climate change policies in the agency's upcoming report on the state of the environment, a move that reflects a reversal from several years ago when the administration excluded any greenhouse gas references from an earlier version of the report. The upcoming report is the agency's second, and its intended to track environmental trends through the use of scientific indicators, such as measuring emission...

International Climate Study Examines Feasibility Of CO2 Storage

An upcoming report being developed by an international panel of experts may suggest it is possible to capture and store significant quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a way to curb climate change, without creating unmanageable environmental risks. But the report being developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) may also identify significant challenges for regulators if they might require carbon sequestration, as well as gaps in the current legal and regulatory framework for such practices. At issue...

Clear Skies Critics Doubt Two-Week Markup Delay Will Prompt Deal

Democrats and other critics of the Clear Skies legislation say they are pessimistic that a decision by Senate Republicans to delay a committee markup for two weeks will result in a broad compromise, and are instead calling for more open-ended discussions. These critics say the two weeks allotted for the talks does not provide enough time to address carbon dioxide (CO2) and other complex issues, in part, because lawmakers will not be able to meet face-to-face during next week's recess...

Senate Republicans Drop Air Toxics Waiver In Clear Skies Bill

Senate Republicans have dropped controversial provisions in Clear Skies legislation that would have allowed industrial boilers that follow the bill's emissions cap-and-trade program to be excused from current air toxic control regulations. The revisions were made on the eve of the Senate environment committee's markup of the bill, slated for Feb. 16. The provisions were a point of contention during the committee's hearing earlier this month, where Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) argued that the air toxics exclusion would allow...

Revised McCain-Lieberman Bill Would Examine Greenhouse Impact On Poor

A new version of climate change legislation introduced by Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) calls on the Department of Commerce to study the effect of global warming on low-income populations around the world. The proposal is one of the few changes to the legislation made by the senators as they seek to broaden support for establishing climate change regulations. The legislation, introduced Feb. 10, is the latest version of a bill the senators introduced during the previous...

DOD, MILITARY SERVICES CRITICAL OF COLORADO'S INDOOR AIR GUIDE

The Defense Department (DOD) and military services say Colorado's draft indoor air guidance to address vapor intrusion from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contains overly stringent screening and cleanup levels and gives regulators too much leeway in determining case-specific cleanup requirements. It also gives the regulated community little direction on appropriately addressing vapor intrusion problems. Further, DOD argues Colorado should promulgate the guidance as a rule since it sets binding action and remediation standards, among other things. "The Department believes that...

CALIFORNIA EYES RULES FOR MARKETERS TO LIMIT OUT-OF-STATE CO2 EMISSIONS

California regulators may require power marketers, rather than generating facilities, to obtain permits for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions under the state's pending greenhouse gas rules. The requirement would be a way to encourage production of cleaner electricity from out of state, and also lower emissions from in-state facilities, according to energy experts. While the approach is particularly relevant to California, which imports much of its power, sources familiar with the approach say it could serve as a model for preventing...

INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REPORT UNLIKELY TO DELAY EPA MERCURY RULE

The EPA inspector general's (IG) report criticizing the agency's development of its proposed regulation on mercury emissions from power plants is unlikely to delay the final rule's release, according to critics and proponents of the regulation, even though the IG and agency critics have called for delays. The Feb. 3 report says the administration's preferred cap-and-trade approach for regulating mercury emissions from power plants should be strengthened, while all but calling illegal EPA's approach for developing a proposed technology-based standard...

CLEAR SKIES FOES FEAR CLIMATE TALKS MAY DIVERT FOCUS FROM 'ROLLBACKS'

Critics of the administration's Clear Skies bill are ramping up their attacks on provisions they say roll back existing Clean Air Act requirements, in part because of concern that Republicans could use a possible deal on carbon dioxide (CO2) to win enough Democratic support to pass the legislation. The critics are concerned that talk of a possible compromise, such as a recent dialogue between Sens. George Voinovich (R-OH) and Thomas Carper (D-DE), could divert attention from the bill's alleged threats...

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