Director of Policy on Climate Will Leave, Her Goal Unmet

[onehandle]

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — Carol M. Browner, the White House coordinator for energy and climate change policy, will leave the administration shortly, officials confirmed Monday night. Her departure signals at least a temporary slowing of the ambitious environmental goals of President Obama’s first two years in the face of new Republican strength in Congress.

Ms. Browner, a former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, was charged with directing the administration’s effort to enact comprehensive legislation to reduce emissions of climate-altering gases and moving the country away from a dependence on dirty-burning fossil fuels. That effort foundered in Congress last year, and Mr. Obama has acknowledged that no major climate change legislation is likely to pass in the next two years.

No decision has been made on whether she would be replaced or if the position would simply disappear, a White House official said.

“She will stay on as long as necessary to ensure an orderly transition,” a White House official said. “Carol is confident that the mission of her office will remain critical to the president.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/25/us/politics/25browner.html

[gateley]

1. Don't the Republicans want to do away with the EPA? What would we have left if

they're successful?

I imagine that Obama (and every President) comes in to office with high and lofty goals, after all it looks so easy from Out Here. But once inside the WH, get a dose of reality and understanding why predecessors may not have accomplished what they'd hoped. :shrug:

[IamK]

2. If you can't take the heat.........

[groundloop]

3. It's not that, more that it's pointless with repugs controlling the House

There's no way in hell that any "major" environmental legislation will make it through the House now. We had our chance during the past 2 years but the Senate filibuster rule (and Joe Lie-berman) helped keep much from getting done.