Supereme Court ruling supports greenhouse gas regulations

[ChiefJoJo]

The US Supreme Court ruled Monday that EPA must regulate CO2 & other greenhouse gas emissions. This probably means the beginning of a new direction in US policy on global warming. Congress and or the President via EPA will have to come up with some recommendations on how it proposes to regulate those emissions. It's a pretty strong victory for pro-environment groups such as the NRDC and leading edge states such as CA, NY, etc.

Reaction:

"The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers believes that there needs to be a national, federal, economy-wide approach to addressing greenhouse gases," said alliance President Dave McCurdy, whose group had supported the EPA's position.

In a sign that the ruling already is reverberating on Capitol Hill, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich. -- a key player in the House debate over global warming -- issued a statement saying: "While I still believe Congress did not intend for the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases, the Supreme Court has made its decision and the matter is now settled. Today's ruling provides another compelling reason why Congress must enact, and the President must sign, comprehensive climate change legislation."

House Democrats have vowed to pass global warming legislation by July 4, and Senate leaders are working on their version of the bill. But it is unclear what kind of plan they will adopt and whether they will pass it as soon as they have promised.

[Southron]

This is great news! I must say I'm surprised that this ruling came from such a conservative court.

Congress needs to put the president on the spot by passing a comprehensive plan to regulate greenhouse gases. It'll be funny watching the president try to wriggle out of this one.

[Captain Worley]

Does this mean they will begin to regulate the other greenhouse gas that is a product of burning fossil fuels, water vapor? They have the authority to do so now.

[FromCityToRural]

I already thought the regulated these things...?

[Captain Worley]

No, CO2 wasn't regarded as a pollutant. Technically, it still isn't. The Court ruled that it was a greenhouse gas, and the EPA should regulate greenhouse gases. They may have opened a can of warms, since water vapor is a huge contributor, and methane is up there as well.

[Recchia]

I take it as, since you can't regulate water vapor, that leaves only CO2 to be regulated, and maybe methane.