NYT: 2 Sides Battle in Court over E.P.A. Carbon Dioxide Regulation

[DeepModem Mom]

2 Sides Do Battle in Court on Whether E.P.A. Should Regulate Carbon Dioxide
By MICHAEL JANOFSKY

Published: April 9, 2005


WASHINGTON, April 8 - A federal appeals court heard arguments on Friday in a five-year battle over whether the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from motor vehicles.

In arguments on a suit that consolidates a number of legal actions, opposing lawyers cited the same words of the Clean Air Act and drew entirely different conclusions.

The plaintiffs are 12 states, a territory, 3 cities and 13 nongovernment organizations, most of them environmental groups.

They have been seeking to have the E.P.A. explain why the Clean Air Act does not empower the agency to regulate carbon dioxide emissions for global climate considerations. That position of the Bush administration is a reversal of Clinton administration policy.

Joining the government's side in the case are 11 states that oppose carbon dioxide regulation and 19 industry groups, including those representing car makers, refiners and chemical companies....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/09/politics/09emissions.html