Sarah Saylor: Senate GOP Attempts to Undermine EPA Endangerment Finding on Global Warming Move to counter Clean Air Act distracts Senate from proactively curbing global warming pollution Published on Dec 18, 2009 - 10:44:55 AM
WASHINGTON, D.C. Dec. 17, 2009 - Senate Republicans are pushing plans to derail the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recent finding that declared carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases a threat to public health and welfare. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced earlier this week her plans to introduce a resolution that would retroactively veto the U.S. EPA's endangerment finding.
The following statement is from Sarah Saylor, senior legislative representative at Earthjustice:
"Republican Senators, led by Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, are attempting to pull us back into denial with their attempts to overturn the EPA's endangerment finding on global warming pollution. Her insistence to introduce a resolution that would retroactively veto the endangerment finding is misguided and misinformed.
"The Supreme Court ruled that the EPA has the authority and a legal obligation under the Clean Air Act to move forward to regulate greenhouse gases. But Sen. Murkowski seems to insist that the EPA ignore the High Court's ruling.
"EPA's endangerment finding simply states that global warming is a threat to human health and welfare. This finding was based on the best available science. But Sen. Murkowski seems to insist that the Senate ignore the science.
"The Senate is currently in the process of giving EPA new tools under the Clean Air Act to combat global warming. But Sen. Murkowski seems to insist that her colleagues should want to do just the opposite and actually take tools away. It makes absolutely no sense to tie the hands of the EPA and take away the best tools available while the Senate works out what else is needed to combat global warming.
"Delay and obfuscation have held back the fight against global warming. It seems that Sen. Murkowski's insistence is causing more delays and less action."
Website: www.earthjustice.org
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