FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 22, 2010
CONTACT: Josh Dorner, 202.675.2384
EPA Letter Responds to Senators' Concerns, Clarifies Plans for New Carbon Regulations Under the Clean Air Act
Washington, D.C.--Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson today sent a letter to Senator Jay Rockefeller in response to a letter he and seven other senators sent to EPA on Friday, February 19. Jackson's letter outlines EPA's plan for moving foward with new regulations for the largest carbon polluters and responds to several concerns raised by senators. It also raises numerous red flags about the ongoing campaign to gut the Clean Air Act. You can read the letter here.
Statement of Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director
"This letter from EPA Administrator Jackson silences the Big Oil-backed disinformation campaign being waged against the Clean Air Act. Members of Congress should rely on these straightforward answers from the Environmental Protection Agency instead of the disingenuous smear campaign being waged by polluters.
"Administrator Jackson has laid out a reasonable timeline for new regulations for big carbon polluters under the Clean Air Act. Just as it has with other pollutants for 40 years, EPA has now made crystal clear that it will address global warming pollution in a way that benefits both our economy and our environment.
"EPA also successfully demonstrates just how sweeping an assault on the Clean Air Act is being proposed by Senator Murkowski and others. EPA states that undermining the Clean Air Act would imperil important new rules to raise fuel economy standards and reduce emissions from our vehicles. The historic new auto rules--supported by environmentalists, unions, and the auto industry alike--would also save consumers $50 a month and cut oil use by 1.8 billion barrels. To do away with these rules would be nothing but a shameful bailout for Big Oil. The Senate has been unable to do anything on energy independence and now some senators want to do even less.
"The legislation being proposed by Senator Murkowski could even cut off badly needed funds for her own home state of Alaska to adapt to the impacts of climate change that are already occurring.
"It's time for Senators to dispense with these distractions and instead move forward with comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation that will cut pollution, fix our economy, and make America energy independent."
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