I’m never surprised
when I read news like this. Using documents obtained from the American
Legislative Council (ALEC), the Guardian has found a coordinated effort by the
GOP and big business to harpoon the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse
gasses.
ALEC,
which is funded in large part by the coal company Peabody Energy and the Koch
brothers, and which holds a strong stance against the EPA, has been encouraging
state attorneys general to bring lawsuits against new EPA regulations that
restrict emissions from power plants. ALEC encouraged legislators to
perform similar lobbying of governors and state attorneys general. The
organization also got legislation into about a dozen state houses that would
impinge on the efforts of the EPA to reduce carbon emissions.
The
new rules for power plant emissions came out last year. In a somewhat
surprising move this week, the Supreme Court ruled that the EPA has the
authority to enforce a similar rule that protects downwind states from the
pollution caused by power plants in other states.
Considering
all the big money and the organized effort against the EPA and any program to reduce
the amount of carbon that we pump into the atmosphere, it amazes me that any
progress can occur. But it does. There may be hope.
