EPA Formally Announces Phase-in of Clean Air Act Permitting for Greenhouse Gases <\/p>\n
(Unfortunately) the EPA also announced there will be no stationary source requirements until 2011. Still,\u00a0 it’s a welcome announcement. We need more of the EPA exercizing their authority.<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON \u2013 Under a final decision issued today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) no stationary sources will be required to get Clean Air Act permits that cover greenhouse gases (GHGs) before January 2011. EPA has pledged to take sensible steps to address the billions of tons of greenhouse gas pollution that threaten Americans\u2019 health and welfare, and is providing time for large industrial facilities and state governments to put in place cost-effective, innovative technologies to control and reduce carbon pollution. [Yesterday's] announcement is the first step in EPA\u2019s phased in approach to addressing GHG emissions laid out by Administrator Lisa P. Jackson earlier this month.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a common sense plan for phasing in the protections of the Clean Air Act. It gives large facilities the time they need to innovate, governments the time to prepare to cut greenhouse gases and it ensures that we don\u2019t push this problem off to our children and grandchildren,\u201d said EPA Administrator Jackson.\u00a0 \u201cWith a clear process in place, it\u2019s now time for American innovators and entrepreneurs to go to work and lead us into the clean energy economy of the future.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
[This]\u00a0 action determines that Clean Air Act construction and operating permit requirements for the largest emitting facilities will begin when the first national rule controlling GHGs takes effect. If finalized as proposed, the rule limiting GHG emissions for cars and light trucks would trigger these requirements in January 2011 \u2013 the earliest model year 2012 vehicles meeting the standards can be sold in the United States. The agency expects to issue final vehicle GHG standards shortly.<\/p>\n
EPA has committed to focusing its GHG permitting requirements on the largest sources. The agency will make a decision later this spring on the amount of GHGs facilities can emit before having to include limits for these emissions in their permits.<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s action is the final step in EPA\u2019s reconsideration of the December 18, 2008 memorandum entitled \u201cEPA\u2019s Interpretation of Regulations that Determine Pollutants Covered by Federal Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Permit Program.\u201d\u00a0 The final action clarifies when GHGs and other pollutants are covered under Clean Air Act permitting programs.<\/p>\n
For more information and the letter Administrator Jackson sent last month outlining this approach and timeline: http:\/\/www.epa.gov\/nsr\/guidance.html<\/a> View all news releases related to air issues<\/p>\n This is good news. The EPA is going to go forward with regulations and Kerry and Lieberman can write whatever bad bills they want, the EPA needs to do this because it’s their job. <\/p>\n I hope President Obama does not push the Congress to supercede the EPA’s authority to do this.<\/p>\n (Come on Republicans, tell the American people you don’t care about climate change either. We already know you don’t [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" EPA Formally Announces Phase-in of Clean Air Act Permitting for Greenhouse Gases (Unfortunately) the EPA also announced there will be no stationary source requirements until 2011. Still,\u00a0 it’s a welcome announcement. We need more of the EPA exercizing their authority. … Continue reading
\n Sound bites available here.<\/p>\n