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EPA Nominee Suggests New CO2 Rules May Expose Small Emitters
Wall Street Journal ^ | May 6, 2009 | Ian Talley

Posted on 05/06/2009 8:39:00 PM PDT by reaganaut1

New federal greenhouse gas emission regulation could expose a raft of smaller emitters to litigation, a nominee for a key post in the Environmental Protection Agency told lawmakers Thursday.

The potential for smaller emitters to be regulated under the Clean Air Act is one reason why business groups warn that EPA regulation of greenhouse gases could create a cascade of legal and regulatory challenges across a much broader array of sectors. The Obama administration has said that isn't their intent.

Regina McCarthy, nominated to be EPA's Director of Air and Radiation, told lawmakers that even while the government has flexibility in setting the threshold of emitting facilities to be regulated, she acknowledges the risk of lawsuits to challenge those levels for smaller emitters. Ms. McCarthy's office is responsible for drafting federal emission rules.

Sen. John Barrasso (R., Wyo.) has put a hold on Ms. McCarthy's nomination in part because of her responses on the greenhouse gas issue.

Under the Obama administration, the EPA is moving forward to declare greenhouse gas emissions a danger to public health and welfare, which will trigger new rules once finalized. The EPA says that only around 13,000 of the largest emitters, such as refiners, smelters and cement plants would likely be regulated.

Many legal experts say that based on clear Clean Air Act statutes, however, regulations could be applied to any facility that emits more than 100-250 tons a year, including hospitals, schools and farms. Taken in aggregate, farm animals are major greenhouse gas sources because of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from flatulence, belching and manure. Buildings often emit greenhouse gases from internal heating or cooling units.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government
KEYWORDS: airquality; bhoenvironment; bhoepa; cleanairact; co2; epa; reginamccarthy; second100days
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1 posted on 05/06/2009 8:39:02 PM PDT by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1

No more beer or carbonated drinks.


2 posted on 05/06/2009 8:47:50 PM PDT by Yo-Yo
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To: reaganaut1
Plus what about all those greenhouses I see. Souldn't we tax them like crazy? Perhaps we could put tax tachometers on those big fans that I see at each end of the buildings.

Moving air in or out or through a greenhouse should be taxed and regulated to the hilt.

3 posted on 05/06/2009 8:48:15 PM PDT by 386wt (Striving to be as good as my dog thinks I am.)
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To: reaganaut1

Geez, another issue with emissions from farm animals. If they set the threshold low enough, then ALL OF US will be in violation. We exhale C02 with each breath. Sheesh..........


4 posted on 05/06/2009 8:48:37 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: Yo-Yo

It might be worth it for the government to collapse just to get rid of s*** like this.


5 posted on 05/06/2009 8:52:10 PM PDT by brianr10
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To: Dilbert San Diego
Geez, another issue with emissions from farm animals. If they set the threshold low enough, then ALL OF US will be in violation. We exhale C02 with each breath. Sheesh..........

The French will be so confused. They'll prepare to "fart in your general direction"...only to find the EPA insisting on immediate payment of taxes before the emission can occur. Taco Bell customers may also be a risk.

6 posted on 05/06/2009 8:55:58 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: reaganaut1

Keep an eye on Senator John Barasso from Wyoming. He is a class act.


7 posted on 05/06/2009 8:56:08 PM PDT by Trteamer ( (Eat Meat, Wear Fur, Own Guns, FReep Leftists, Drive an SUV, Drill A.N.W.R., Drill the Gulf, Vote)
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To: reaganaut1

I FART IN YOUR GENERAL DIRECTION.


8 posted on 05/06/2009 8:56:49 PM PDT by beethovenfan (If Islam is the solution, the "problem" must be freedom.)
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To: reaganaut1

“Small emitters” as in homosapiens?


9 posted on 05/06/2009 8:57:18 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Politicians always love to talk about "hard work." What the hell would they know about it?)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

If there were no people, there would be much less pollution.


10 posted on 05/06/2009 8:59:30 PM PDT by maro (Repeal the 8th Amendment)
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To: reaganaut1
The Obama administration has said that isn't their intent.

Well then, that says it all.

If the Obama administration denies "fill-in-the-blanks-here", you can be certain that "fill-in-the-blanks-here" is the truth...

11 posted on 05/06/2009 8:59:59 PM PDT by Zeppo (Save the cheerleader, save the world...)
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To: Yo-Yo

Hey, as soon as they announce this I will sue to have the entire population of Washington DC Culled in order to reduce carbon emissions.

With all the hot air that comes out of there, the planet should cool by a degree with that action alone.

You are going to see crazy nut-ball radical conservatives bringing this stupid government to its knees.

Are dream of less government will be realized.


12 posted on 05/06/2009 9:04:59 PM PDT by dila813
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To: reaganaut1
The small businesses and farms are exactly who they will go after. They are the ones the government can push around without much concern that they will have big time lawyers to fight it out in court.

They will use this as a revenue generator from fines. The owners will have to raise their prices to cover the increased costs or be run out of business. Meanwhile, Barack can claim he increased jobs for more bureaucrats and lawyers.

13 posted on 05/06/2009 9:07:17 PM PDT by eggman (Obama's Spread the Wealth will work just as well as Spread the Liabilities (sub-prime mortgages))
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To: reaganaut1
The real danger here is the EPA and their screwball mentality.
14 posted on 05/06/2009 9:07:24 PM PDT by Cheetahcat (Osamabama Wright kind of Racist! We are in a state of War with Democrats)
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To: Dilbert San Diego
***NEWSFLASH***

Algore to be taxed based on personal carbon emissions.

"This is unconsci... uh, unreasona... uh, bad," exclaimed the divinity school drop out. "They can't tax me like a farm animal! Can't they tell the diff?"

"Well, no," remarked an EPA official. "Though farm animals may actually be brighter. You decide. Pick the farm animal..."


15 posted on 05/06/2009 9:14:47 PM PDT by Entrepreneur (The environmental movement is filled with watermelons - green on the outside, red on the inside)
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To: 386wt
... what about all those greenhouses...(?)

Many of them have CO2 generators to accelerate plant growth.

No food for you!

16 posted on 05/06/2009 9:16:54 PM PDT by kitchen (One battle rifle for each person, and a spare for each pair.)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

“Geez, another issue with emissions from farm animals. If they set the threshold low enough, then ALL OF US will be in violation. We exhale C02 with each breath. Sheesh..........”

So we will have to kill all the animals. But then with Ethanol there won’t be any corn. Since gas prices will go sky high, we won’t be able to get the food to market.

Now combine this with our health care rationing in that some people will just have to die.

SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!!!!


17 posted on 05/06/2009 9:23:47 PM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Welcome to Germany, circa 1933.)
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To: Yo-Yo

Oh no, there goes the baked beans.


18 posted on 05/06/2009 9:57:12 PM PDT by taxesareforever (Quick justice for the senseless killing of Marine Lance Cpl. Robert Crutchfield.)
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To: reaganaut1
The EPA says that only around 13,000 of the largest emitters...would likely be regulated.

Riiiggghhttt. We all know there's NEVER any expansion or scope creep in any government program. Why I can't think of a single program that ever escaped it's initial confines to become a devouring behemoth.

These bastards always follow the same modus operandi -- sell the programs as small and contained, then grow the hell out of them over the ensuing years. Government needs to be chopped by 3/4, not expanded any more.

19 posted on 05/06/2009 10:07:06 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: Zeppo

If you haven’t figure it out by now you are in trouble. Behind the scenes Wall Street is scheming to set up another scheme call cap and trade. Perfect business, which Wall Street just hire small staff of traders, software engineers to write the buy and sell software, some lawyers and lobbysists. Viola you have a new business that utilizes the government to declare which industries are dirty. Then Wall Street will underwrite the deals to send these dirty industries to China and India. Thus our country can increase the amounts of clean credit and accuses China/India of being too dirty thus in order to comply with international rules they must buy clean US credits to the highest bid. Wall Street pockets commissions and the US government pockets new taxes. Problem begins for Main Street Americans is when all the dirty industries are gone, and Wall Street need a new source for clean credit, thus they will lobby Congress to declare other industries in the US to be dirty. These assets will be sold to China/India and the US will begin the cycle of accuse, sell to highest bidder, and more money is pocketed by Wall Street/Government.


20 posted on 05/06/2009 10:09:55 PM PDT by Fee (Peace, prosperity, jobs and common sense)
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