The US Environmental Protection Agency is considering a modification to the rule announced in September requiring large facilities emitting more than 25,000 tons of greenhouse gases a year to obtain permits demonstrating they are using the best practices and technologies to minimize GHG emissions.
EPA is considering "raising that threshold substantially to reflect input provided during the public comment process," the agency said in a release.
EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson issued a letter in response to a request for information from eight Democratic senators who appear to be supporting Republican action to stop EPA greenhouse gas regulations.
In the letter Jackson detailed her intentions for greenhouse gas regulations over the next two years:
- No facility will be required to address greenhouse gas emissions in Clean Air Act permitting of new construction or modifications before 2011.
- For the first half of 2011, only facilities that already must apply for Clean Air Act permits as a result of their non-greenhouse gas emissions will need to address their greenhouse gas emissions in their permit applications.
- EPA does not intend to subject smaller facilities to Clean Air Act permitting for greenhouse gas emissions any sooner than 2016.
Dow Jones reports that Max Baucus (D., Mont.), Carl Levin (D., Mich.) and John Rockefeller (D., W.Va.) are among the group of eight Democrats.
"EPA actions in this area would have enormous implications and these issues need to be handled carefully and appropriately dealt with by the Congress, not in isolation by a federal environmental agency," Rockefeller said in a press statement.
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