In Monday’s 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court labeled
carbon dioxide and other emissions as pollutants under the Clean Air Act. The National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) calls news that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) already has the power to set emissions limits a “stunning rebuke” to the Bush Administration.
What NRDC says the decision means:- The Bush Administration can no longer use the excuse that it doesn’t have the power to control carbon pollution. It has the power and must start taking action on pollution caused by new cars, trucks and SUVs.
- California and 10 other states are now past a big obstacle in implementing measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from car exhaust.
- It adds to the momentum of recent victories, which include a total of 15 states committing to mandatory caps on global warming pollution and 10 influential companies joining with NRDC to call for a mandatory approach to cutting global warming pollution.
Frances Beinecke, president of NRDC, is asking everyone to join the “chain reaction” and send a message to their Senators and Representative to pass a bill cutting global warming pollution 25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. Click
here to take action.
