Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said she would back President Obama's 2011 budget proposal to add $43 billion in new funding to support the efforts of EPA and the states to limit GHGs. ClimateWire quoted Feinstein as saying: "I would support it. There's no question about greenhouse gas in my mind."
Wrote ClimateWire: "Of the $43 million in new funding, $25 million would aid states as they begin to account for greenhouse gases in New Source Review and operating permits; $7 million would go toward developing New Source Performance Standards to curb greenhouse gases from major stationary sources; $6 million would be used to implement EPA's pending greenhouse gas standards for automobiles and developing other mobile source regulations; and $5 million would be used to develop the best available practices and technologies for controlling emissions."
Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said increased funding for climate programs was "encouraging." Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said he would favor an increase in EPA's funding for climate programs, though neither had seen the White House proposal. Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., disagreed, saying he would fight to remove any funding earmarked for EPA climate regulations. He was quoted as saying: "At a time when our country is struggling with a deep economic recession, the last thing I want the EPA to do is start regulating greenhouse gases without specific direction from Congress."
Reps. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., and Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., who said they planned to file legislation to block EPA from regulating GHGs, argued that Congress did not intend to give EPA that power when it passed the Clean Air Act, the Associated Press reported.
Skelton was quoted as saying: "The EPA is controlled by bureaucrats who are not elected and are responsible only to the head of the EPA who is from New Jersey. And I doubt that they understand mid-America, the Midwest, agriculture and what our farmers need to continue to do a good job for our country." Emerson argued EPA GHG regulations could be a disaster, saying: "It is totally unfair. It will undo any positive things that we can do for our economy."
- Related story also appeared in the Kansas City (Mo.) Star.
