Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, ranking Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, was gathering Democratic support for legislation designed to block EPA regulation of GHGs, Inside EPA reported. Wrote the newsletter: "Murkowski has said she is planning to offer a stand-alone resolution that would block EPA regulation of GHG emissions, indicating a shift in strategy that could allow her more time to gain bipartisan support for the measure."
Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairwoman Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., has agreed to cosponsor the effort, Congressional Quarterly Today reported. Lincoln said in a statement: "I am very concerned about the burden that EPA regulation of carbon emissions could put on our economy and I have questions about the actual benefit EPA regulations would have on our environment," adding that "heavy-handed EPA regulation," along with cap-and-trade legislation would put the U.S. at a competitive disadvantage globally.
Sens. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and Jim Webb, D-Va., have indicated they could support Murkowski's effort. Dorgan was quoted as saying: "Depending on how the amendment is drafted -- is there an amendment that I could possibly support? Maybe." Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., who recently introduced legislation in the House to block EPA GHG rules, was quoted as saying: "It is my strong view, and that of many others in Congress, that this is a matter for the legislative branch. The Clean Air Act is poorly equipped to deal with greenhouse gases which is why I introduced my bill and some ads from some out-of-state interest groups are not going to stop me from doing what is right."
Support for the EPA effort has come from the State Voice coalition of environmental officials from California, Connecticut and other states.
Murkowski's legislation would need only 51 votes to pass the Senate. Though it probably would not survive an expected presidential veto, its passage could be another obstacle to getting cap-and-trade legislation passed this year, said Congressional Quarterly Today.
- Related stories also appeared in the New York Times and Washington Post.
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