EPA Racing to Replace Tossed Bush-Era Emissions Rules -- Air Chief

[Kadie]

EPA Racing to Replace Tossed Bush-Era Emissions Rules -- Air Chief


By ROBIN BRAVENDER of Greenwire
Published: July 9, 2009

U.S. EPA is working to issue replacement rules for Bush-era regulations aimed at slashing power plant emissions of soot, smog and mercury as quickly as possible, the agency's top air official told a Senate panel today.

Gina McCarthy, EPA's assistant administrator for air and radiation, said the agency plans to propose a replacement for the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) in early 2010 and to issue a final rule by early 2011. The agency is also moving forward on a replacement rule for the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) "as quickly as our understanding of the issues allows," she said.

Both Bush administration programs were tossed out last year in a federal appeals court. In February 2008, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia vacated CAMR, finding that the agency had unlawfully allowed trading of the toxic pollutant. Last July, the same court tossed out CAIR, which would have cut soot- and smog-forming pollution in the eastern United States. The court temporarily reinstated that rule in December, giving the agency time to craft a replacement.

McCarthy told the Senate Clean Air Subcommittee the agency was working to ensure that the CAIR replacement would withstand any possible litigation efforts. A replacement program could include trading programs, she added.

more...
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/07/09/09greenwire-epa-racing-to-replace-tossed-bush-era-emission-76132.html

[Turbineguy]

1. More repairs.

More repairs still needed.

[TheWraith]

2. The downside of "unrecommend."

That it gives the Obama haters one more tool to try and squelch the good news. Still, I'll take it over the alternative.