Go Barbara

From today's EEI newsletter:

Sen. Boxer Plans Climate Change Hearing Jan. 30; EPA Faces March 1 Review

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will conduct its first hearing on climate change on Jan. 30, focused on airing a wide range of opinions from colleagues that are designed to reduce man-made influences on the environment, Dow Jones Newswires reported.

Wrote the newswire: "There's no consensus on how to reduce emissions and several questions remain as to how and whether policymakers in Washington should implement a mandatory cap on carbon dioxide - thought to be the main global warming culprit - or institute a tax on the greenhouse gas. Either option would have a significant impact on electric utilities that rely heavily on coal. The fossil fuel releases substantial greenhouse gases when burned to generate electricity. Meanwhile, certain policies could boost nuclear energy, which is seen as an emissions-free way to produce power."

Boxer used a news conference to challenge the "Christmastime environmental massacre" approach that she says the EPA used to rollback several environmental standards associated with public health law. Boxer was quoted as saying: "We're going to shed the light of day on these rollbacks" and try to reverse them. "The days of these middle of the night rollbacks without scrutiny are over." A hearing on the EPA actions is set for March 1.

Dow Jones also noted that President Bush has again nominated Alex Beehler to serve as EPA's inspector general, Roger Martella to serve as an assistant EPA administrator and William Wehrum to serve as assistant EPA administrator of air policy. The nominations on all three were blocked by the Democratic minority last year, and Boxer signaled that she was displeased with the White House for failing to pick up on that signal.
Dow Jones Newswires , Jan. 10.