States Are Right About States' Right To Regulate Greenhouse Gases
Democrats often take Republicans to task for lack of concern about global warming. In many cases, the criticism is justified.
Why, then, do leading Democrats have their fingerprints on legislation that would seriously stifle efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions?
A House energy subcommittee, chaired by Virginia's Rick Boucher, released draft legislation on June 1 that would bar states from enforcing their own standards to limit automobile greenhouse gas emissions.
How ironic. GOP Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and M. Jodi Rell of Connecticut took the Bush administration to task in a May 21 Washington Post op-ed for stalling on waivers necessary for them to enforce their states' greenhouse gas tailpipe emissions limits.
Look who's stalling now. The Boucher bill also would revoke EPA's authority to set national tailpipe standards, only weeks after the Supreme Court ruled that EPA has such authority.
Congressman John Dingell, the Dem silverback who chairs the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee, has strongly defended the bill from criticism by Schwarzenegger, other governors, and leaders of state and local air quality agencies.
What gives? The bill has the odor of a turf fight seasoned with Dingell's hair-trigger sensitivity to anything that would inconvenience Detroit automakers and their can't-do attitude.
If congressional Dems don't want states or EPA to set greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars, then let them come up with something better. In the meantime, they should drop this awful bill and back off.
Jim DiPeso
Jim DiPeso is the policy director for Republicans for Environmental Protection.read full bio.
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Republicans for Environmental Protection advocates for environmental issues while adhering to the basic Republican principles of fiscal responsibility and smaller government.
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