Court Overturns Bush Air Pollution Rule (CAIR) - Associated Press

[Brotherjohn]

Source: Associated Press

"WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court has struck down an environmental rule that the Bush administration championed as crucial in protecting public health.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously rejected the Clean Air Interstate Rule, saying it found several flaws."


Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gbxOhRbC5B8oEFQBjaInpi27rS4wD91RO0B00

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More fleshed out article here:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gbxOhRbC5B8oEFQBjaInpi27rS4wD91ROQSO0

[Ian David]

1. See also

Victory! Biggest Smog and Soot Power Plant Pollution Cuts in a ...
CAIR will result in dramatic power plant air pollution reductions. ... Everybody knows that George Bush single-handedly reduced pollution in this country. ...
www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3260077 - 31k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this


American Electric Power to pay $4.6 billion - Democratic Underground
Jul 3, 2008 ... That damn pollution has been killing or, Auntie Bush .... not sure how many of these plants were going to be controlled by CAIR anyway (thus ...
www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3021004 - 74k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this


EPA rule resets limits on soot, smog - Democratic Underground
"CAIR will result in the largest pollution reductions and health benefits of any air rule in more than a decade," said Stephen Johnson, EPA's acting ...
www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1300639 - 18k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

Bush Pollution Curbs Are Rated Equal to Clinton's
Bush Pollution Curbs Are Rated Equal to Clinton's. Science Panel Says Proposed Cap-and-Trade System Will Help Clean Air. By Juliet Eilperin ...
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/21/AR2006072101375.html -

[WriteDown]

2. Who the heck...

appointed these judges!? This makes no sense.

[Closet Democrat]

3. The story behind the story

Judge Santelle (also Chief) appointed by Regan
Judge Rodgers appointed by Clinton
Judge Brown appointed by G.W. Bush

Even though 2 or 3 appointed by Republicans its important to note that it was GE Bush's EPA who's rule was vacated.

The real blame should go to Congress (specifically the members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee both past and present) who have used CO2 as a wedge issues and prevented the advancement of emission reduction in known harmfully pollutants like those regulated in the overturned rule (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury).

Forget further reductions and in fact we will be lucky if power plants even operate their existing emission control equipment as its now nearly free to pollute. Allowance prices have fallen almost 90% since the beginning of the year to a point where generators have essentially no real economic incentive to run their control equipment.

If they are running it its just because they are being nice because in most case not running the equipment is completely legal as long as they surrender the necessary allowances at the end of the year. Since the allowances are basically free now why would you not chose to run you equipment (which has variable operating cost and reduces your generating capacity) and instead pay a nominal fee for the allowances.

The courts vacature of the rule essentially disrupted the supply/demand balance and just like the credit/housing crisis will take years to work off.

Todays winners:
Utilities who have procrastinated in previously installing equipment
Lawyers who get to work through the carnage
Speculators who made bets that the price would go down
Politic ans who get to point their finger at the other guy

Todays Loser's:
American citizens who will experience health issues because of increases in power plant emissions
Utilities who have procrastinated in previously installing equipment
Advocates of cap-and-trade for green house gas emissions as investor confidence is suspect to future rules being struck down
Speculators who made bets the price would go up



Congress can fix this if they really wanted to.