The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its authority to regulate global warming pollution went through its first shakedown today before the Koch Industries and ExxonMobil funded [pdf] House Committee on Energy and Commerceโs Energy and Power Subcommittee.
The show trial was a chance for the Kochtopus, fossil fuel interests, and global warming skeptics (including Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) who announced he is releasing a denialist book) to cry foul that industry is being victimized and that global warming is not a threat, and does not pose any risks to the health and well-being of Americans, and the planet.
But Chairman Fred Upton’s (R-MI) and co-author Sen. Inhofeโs polluter-friendly bill, โThe Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011โ (see memo [pdf]) had to contend with the โbombshellโ revelations released late on the eve before the meeting. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), the ranking Democrat on the Committee, posted a particularly relevant January 2008 letter [pdf] from former EPA Administrator Steven L. Johnson to then President George W. Bush.
Reported first by Climate Progress, Johnsonโs letter instructed President Bush โto use EPAโs authority under the Clean Air Act to reduceโ global warming pollution and that his administration must release an โendangerment findingโ since carbon emissions endanger public health and theย environment:
โThe Supreme Courtโs Massachusetts v EPA decision still requires a response. That case combined with the latest science of climate change requires the Agency to propose a positive endangerment findingโฆ.ย the state of the latest climate change science does not permit a negative finding, nor does it permit a credible finding that we need to wait for moreย research.โ
Johnson also told the President that his administration must cut global warmingย pollution:
โWithin the next several months, EPA must face regulating greenhouse gases from power plants, some industrial sources, petroleum refineries and cementย kilns.โ
Prior to todayโs trial, Waxman wrote to Upton reminding himย that:
โโฆboth Republican and Democratic Administrations have had the same view of the science:ย carbon emissions are a serious threat to our nationโs welfare.ย I urge you to leave the science to scientists and drop your effort to use legislation to overturn EPAโs endangermentย finding.โ
Releasing the Johnson letter effectively undermined any legitimacy that the polluter-funded attacks on the EPA may have had in asserting that there are no health risks from global warming pollution.
As well, overturning the Upton-Inhofe economic โargumentโ that curbing carbon emissions means the loss of jobs, CERES has just released a new report which specifies that the EPAโs new air pollution rules are expected to create high-skilled and well-paying jobs, nearly 1.5 million over the next five years. So much for โjob killingโ.
At the very least, the next time Sen. Inhofe declares that the โEPAโs regulations will impose enormous costs for no meaningful benefitsโin other words, all pain for no climate gainโ – tell him he really does need to have scientists attest to his personal claims (or at least have one attend his meetings) – and that you wonโt be buying hisย book.
