EPA Recognizes Global Warming

In April of this year, after a distinct 8-year silence on the issue, the EPA released a draft "Endangerment Finding" that details the associated threats to Americans from global warming and the release of greenhouse gases. This document is stunning in its shift from the pre-Obama rhetoric and lack of leadership on the issue. The document puts the six main greenhouse gases in one pollution category so that they can be regulated as a group. This is similar to the way that Europe looks at them. While the document does not reveal and regulatory approach at this time, it does provide a summary of the key issues and concerns in some detail. While there are elements that could be debated, the document overall provides a solid review. The finding came about after a Supreme Court Ruling in 2007 (Mass v. EPA) in which the court noted that the state had standing the sue for regulatory action due to the damages it received due to global warming.

Now we need some solid regulations. In addition, the Waxman-Markey bill should not be supported as it destroys elements of the Clean Air Act. It is too much to give up.