Despite New Memo, EPA Downplays Use Of Water Law To Address CO2

摘要

EPA is downplaying environmentalists' novel efforts to use the Clean Water Act as a way to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions that may be contributing to high acidification levels in ocean waters, even as the agency issued a memo opening the door to stricter regulation of the emissions. The agency's Office of Wetlands, Oceans & Watersheds Nov. 15 released a memo - "Integrated Reporting and Listing Decisions Related to Ocean Acidification" - recommending that coastal states begin listing highly acidified coastal waters as "impaired" - a move that environmentalists hope will open the door to subjecting the waters to pollution control plans that could include first-time water act limits on CO2 emissions thought to cause acidification. EPA agreed to issue the memo as part of a landmark settlement with environmentalists on how to address increased acidification caused by CO2. Relevant documents are available on InsideEPA.com. Seepage 2 for details.