Carney plays to soccer moms ahead of Obama’s EPA visit

White House press secretary Jay Carney made a pitch to soccer moms Tuesday in touting President Obama’s pending visit to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) headquarters later in the afternoon to thank its employees.

“EPA ... is often under siege, but is responsible for ensuring that the air we breathe, that our children breathe when they run out on the soccer field is clean, and that the water they drink is clean, and not harmful,” Carney said at a White House press briefing.

Carney touted recently finalized rules to curb power plant emissions of mercury and other air toxins.

The role of EPA is likely to be an issue in the 2012 campaign — all of the Republicans vying for the GOP nomination have attacked what they consider EPA overreach.

Carney also highlighted joint EPA and Transportation Department rules to boost auto mileage standards and curb vehicle greenhouse gas emissions.

Carney emphasized industry support for the vehicle rules, noting that Obama announced the standards surrounded by auto executives, and also pointed out that EPA was created under President Nixon, a Republican.

The agency “has been responsible for ensuring the health and safety, in many cases, of millions of Americans,” Carney noted.

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