EPA vs Texas

Texas feels that the EPA has reinterpreted the Clean Air Act in order to exempt smaller pollutants from greenhouse gas regulations. The “tailoring rule” was an amendment to the Clean Air Act and a sort of add on to the endangerment findings that was reports in 2009. The state of Texas feels that the EPA is taking the bill to far and overstepping their boundaries.

Lisa Jackson, an EPA Administer, feels that the greenhouse gases pose a harmful threat to the safety of humans and the quality of the atmosphere, along with the fragile o-zone layer that effects the climate change. The EPA is pushing the protection of human lives on this issue, hard. They want the oil and gas companies to know that they have to have these changes in effect by the deadline or the companies will be shut down and a construction ban will be set. The EPA feels that Texas has different priorities right now and hopes to get back to working smoothly with the State.

Texas, home to some of the nation’s largest refineries, doesn’t feel that the EPA’s claim on how harmful greenhouse gases are is something for concern. Texas wants the issue to go to a court ruling to get more evidence that these chemicals are as harmful as they say, and that it is impertinent that they be regulated more strictly. The state environmental commission does not think that the EPA has the “authority to regulate greenhouse gases, and calls the new rules illegal.”

This is going to be a long battle and some people are unsure about why the EPA is pushing the issue now, possibly due to President Obama’s plan to help regulate climate change. Some also feel that the EPA is using legislative power they should not be able to use. This is making Texas very wary on the idea of changing all the rules and regulations of the oil and gas companies that sit along the coast and are stretched out along the plains.

This is from a letter to the EPA from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; “Texas has neither the authority nor the intention of interpreting, ignoring or amending its laws in order to compel the permitting of greenhouse gas emissions."  This is proof enough that the state is not budging on the issue just yet, hopefully they will come around to idea of helping to preserve our Earth and help improve the health of the people. 


Sources:
National Journal
Statesman.com
US EPA