Unless Congress can find a way to approve a cap-and-trade emission plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, many companies will have to budget for new emission controls.
That’s the big surprise EPA has in store for business and industry when it issues its first global warming regulations this spring. EPA chief Lisa Jackson has just revealed her schedule for who faces GHG regulation and when.
The only good news: Nobody will have to reduce GHG emissions in 2010.
But that changes in 2011. In the first half of next year, EPA will regulate 400 of the largest industrial facilities and power plants as they reapply for their Clean Air Act permits. This list expands to cover 13,000 facilities that release more than 25,000 tons per year of GHGs between 2011 and 2013.
However, EPA also plans to regulate medium and small businesses starting in 2016. According to the Small Business Administration’s analysis of EPA’s regulatory plans, more than six million small companies will be regulated.
Jackson revealed her agency’s regulatory timetable in a letter to coal-state Senators who are pressing EPA to ease its GHG regulatory plans. The only reassurance Jackson had for the Senators was that her agency will mandate cost-effective GHG controls as the agency rolls out its grand plan to limit climate change emissions.
Jackson also made it clear that the Obama Administration will use the Clean Air Act to regulate GHG emissions. The only way to stop EPA is for Congress to develop the emission cap-and-trade program, Jackson explained in Feb. 23 letter to the Senators, because the Supreme Court has ruled that GHGs are air pollutants and must be regulated.
Jackson also emphasized that a national climate change regulatory program would be better for companies. Otherwise, she pointed out, California and at least 13 other states will develop their own, conflicting GHG regulatory plans.
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Tags: climate change, greenhouse gas regulation
March 4th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
if the EPA is going to attack the entire issue via self developed regulation, what’s the point of any cap and trade legislation …………… case solved,
March 4th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
The State of Texas has filed suit against the EPA concerning CO2. The EPA derived its self-proclaimed right to oversee us all using the fraudulent IPCC publishings of the past few years. The EPA did no studies on its own, just relied on someone else, which they are not allowed to do. Turns out the data is all bad and based on political beliefs not real science. Hope the EPA gets trashed for their power grab. The EPA has usurped Congress on this issue and must not be allowed to get away with it.
March 8th, 2010 at 8:54 am
Non-progressives in congress have submitted a bill to remove the EPA’s right to regulate non-pollutant natural gasses such as CO2. It needs to pass. The next move is to scrap EPA altogether and start with a new agency whose mandate is to assist business, not destroy it.
March 8th, 2010 at 9:52 am
Better stop exercising, else the EPA will be all over you for heavy breathing and release of excessive CO2.
March 8th, 2010 at 10:25 am
Yep, but the additional costs to the economy, job losses, and bad press from this little EPA exercise will all land right at Obama’s feet just at the time the public clearly isn’t ready for MORE Government regulation.
Let’s do it now!
It’ll make November so much more fun! Why save the slaughter until 2012?
Go EPA GO!
March 8th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
The EPA and localized air regulatory agencies could care less about business and people who need to make a living. This is just an additional way that big government is reaching out to help save us all!! They will ensure that manufacturing is a thing of the past and that good paying jobs do go overseas where environmental rules aren’t as stringent. Once businesses go away, then they will start looking at things on a personal level from wood burning fuel sources at your home, to vehicles you drive and have everyone ranked by the size of their alleged carbon foot print and ensure that they are assessed accordingly.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
……..And It’s all such a crock:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbAe_g41Zl4
http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/5200event.htm
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/sun_output_030320.html
March 9th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
Is there anything this administration doesn’t believe they need to control? You’ve got a bunch of college professors who have never even HAD a real job, no less create one, running the country. All the Obama administration knows is that they need money to enact their brand of social justice. Either they fail or we all fail.
March 10th, 2010 at 9:41 am
The best solution is for Congress to stop funding to the EPA. Case solved. Just wait for the new election – Americans will speak. Time to stop this out of control administration. Cut off their money.
March 10th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Another reason for abolishing the EPA. Another Government agency that doesn’t no it’s ass from a hole in the ground, run by Greenies that cost us tax payers millions of dollars a year.
March 10th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
This is all part of Obama’s plan to use his third of four branches of government ( 1. executive, 2. judicial and 3rd his appointtees i.e. Czars and government agencies) to control us. The legislative branch is just a deterent to keep all of busy while he does the dirty work. He’s about to throw all of the dem’s under the bus to salvage health care. They don’t get it, yet.
March 11th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
How’s that Socialism working out for our European friends?
It astounds me that people don’t talk about how company’s have been working on fuel economy and enegry efficiency for years. It’s technology and free markets that were driving it ………. up until now. Now people are going o revolt and push back against something that would have been great, simply because the Government overreaches. I know I’m more proned to waste energy just because it’s politically incorrect.
March 11th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Whoa! I love the commentary by everyone-shows there are a lot more involved smart people out there than Obama and his henchmen anticipated. The EPA does need to be abolished along with 80% of the government agencies currently in existence.
You all have made my day. Thanks.
April 2nd, 2010 at 2:53 pm
I love seeing all of these comments! I’m not alone in my way of thinking – contrary to what the Obama News Networks want us to all believe. These types of regulations will kill business and are not founded on anything but a grab at additional control and regulation. Now this same presidency who made fun of drilling offshore is moving it forward like it was their idea. Morons…. they need to go back to what ever hole they oozed out of. The elections in November should be a time for celebration!