White House backs call for enacting partial CAIR law, to give some certainty on air rules

摘要

The Bush administration wants Congress to partially codify the Clean Air Interstate Rule now, and then by 2015 fully install the rule, which was recently thrown out by a federal court, until the federal government imposes stiffer emission reductions on the electricity sector to control smog pollution. Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Agency faces a September 24 deadline on whether to seek a rehearing of the July 11 decision by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which vacated the rule and sent it back to EPA. If a rehearing is granted, the rule would remain in effect until the court acts. EPA and the White House Council on Environmental Quality said they support a request to Congress by a coalition of state environmental regulators to enact Phase 1 of CAIR "as a temporary interim measure" until EPA or Congress enacts stiffer rules to control interstate emissions from power plants that contribute to respiratory disease. But, in addition to that request by the Environmental Council of the States, EPA and CEQ said Congress must also require that Phase 2 of CAIR take effect in 2015 until lawmakers or the EPA enact "a more stringent program."