Bill To Stop CO₂ Rules Goes To House Floor

A bill that would prohibit EPA from regulating emissions of greenhouse gases is heading to the floor of the House of Representatives, where it is expected to pass. This action follows House Energy & Commerce Committee approval of a bill (H.R. 910) to bar the agency from controlling carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. The legislation would also reject EPA’s scientific findings on climate change (C&EN, March 14, page 9). The panel adopted the measure on a 34-19 vote, with three Democrats joining Republicans in favor of the legislation. The committee rejected an amendment by Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) to accept EPA’s scientific finding that the climate is unequivocally warming. In opposition to Waxman, Rep. Clifford B. Stearns (R-Fla.) said congressional endorsement of EPA’s finding would send a signal in support of greenhouse gas regulation. But Rep. Diana L. DeGette (D-Colo.) says H.R. 910 “instructs EPA not to follow science.” Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) argued, “EPA has yet to do a real scientific analysis on its own,” saying the agency merely “rubber-stamped” climate studies done by others, including the National Research Council and the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Also last week, the Senate was expected to vote after C&EN’s deadline on an attempt by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to attach the wording of H.R. 910 to an unrelated small-business bill (S. 493).