EPA's Relaxed Emissions Rule Struck Down

[citizen snips]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal appeals court struck down Bush administration policy allowing some power plants to exceed mercury emission levels, ruling Friday that the government failed to consider the effect on public health and the environment.

More than a dozen states sued to block the regulation, saying it would allow dangerous levels of mercury into the environment. The toxic metal is known to contaminate seafood that can damage the developing brains of fetuses and young children.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit negated a rule known as cap-and-trade. That policy allows power plants that fail to meet emission targets to buy credits from plants that did, rather than having to install their own mercury emissions controls. The rule was to go into effect in 2010.

"This three-judge panel has done the world a favor and helped save lives," said Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, one of many attorneys general who joined a lawsuit originally brought by New Jersey.

more...
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080208/epa_mercury_pollution.html

[pleah]

1. Three cheers for the DC U.S. Court of Appeals!

(':toast:'):toast:

[jtrockville]

2. Anyone know what happens now?

Are the limits on mercury emissions still in place (without being allowed to trade allowances), or are the limits thrown out along with the cap-and-trade policy?

[Robbien]

4. Limits are in place AND they don't get to buy credits

That is the old rule before the EPA started this Chamber of Commerce cap and trade nonsense.

[jtrockville]

6. Excellent. Thanks! (nt)

[bananas]

7. The Supreme Court over-rules the decision, and we are fucked over again.

[Robbien]

3. The EPA told the judge that the rules don't apply to them?????????

The three-judge court unanimously struck down the cap-and-trade policy and the Environmental Protection Agency's plan to exempt coal- and oil-fired power plants from regulations requiring strict emissions control technology to block emissions. Before instituting the new regulation, the court held, the government was required to show that emissions from any power plant would not harm the environment or "exceed a level which is adequate to protect public health with an ample margin of safety."

The EPA argued it was not required to follow that rule, a stance the court held was "not persuasive."

Huh. Congress allows the EPA and everyone else in this Bush Admin to get away with that crap. Good for this court not putting up with that nonsense. And it was unanimous!

[eppur_se_muova]

5. It's now OFFICIAL -- FUGWB!

Memo from judge::finger: