Climate Standards and the Control of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

摘要

Air quality standards in the United States have taken a beating, even as green-consciousness is gaining momentum. In July 2008, amid much controversy, a federal appeals court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EP A) had exceeded its authority when it established the Clean Air Interstate Rule in 2005. The EP A then published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking1wherein the EP A chief rejected any obligation to regulate heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide under existing law, saYing that to do so would have "a profound effect on virtually every sector of the economy," and would touch "every household in the land." Taken together, these developments mean that no regulation to reduceemissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases was introduced during the administration of President George W. Bush.