Pending EPA Climate Decision: “A Game Changer”

SmokestacksIt’ll be the most significant federal climate action in American history.


That’s how the National Wildlife Federation’s Joe Mendelson, our director for global warming policy, describes the announcement expected as soon as this week from the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA will reportedly declare global warming pollution a danger – a threat to public health subject to enforcement under the Clean Air Act.


Joe was one of the attorneys who drafted the original complaint that led to the Supreme Court’s finding two years ago that the EPA has the power under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide as pollution. That decision set the stage for the EPA’s expected ruling.


Here’s more analysis from Joe:

This EPA decision will quite simply be a game-changer for climate policy. It’ll have repercussions domestically and abroad, showing the Obama administration’s firm commitment to aggressive action to fight global warming.


It will also demonstrate a firm commitment to sound science and clean energy solutions that will bury the notion that we won’t make historic progress confronting climate change this year. It seems more than fair to say this would be the largest single step the federal government will have ever taken to fight climate change.

Of course, the EPA’s ruling will be no substitute for comprehensive climate and energy legislation. Congress must act in 2009.


To learn how you can help push your member of Congress to keep legislation moving, visit the NWF Climate Action Center!


Photo courtesy Flickr’s Jim Frazier

Published: April 15, 2009