Senior Republican, after court ruling, revives call to scuttle EPA climate rules

A top House Republican is using Tuesday’s court decision that upheld EPA’s climate regulations to launch fresh calls for action on GOP legislation that would nullify EPA’s authority to limit greenhouse gases.

“While some in Washington may claim today’s court ruling is a win for the Obama administration, it delivers a devastating blow to the U.S. economy and American consumers,” said House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) in a statement.

“After enduring 40 consecutive months of higher than eight percent unemployment, we cannot afford the EPA’s continued expansion of red tape that is slowing economic growth and threatening to entangle millions of small businesses,” he said.

Upton’s bill to remove EPA’s power to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act passed the House in early April of last year with 19 Democratic votes but has not advanced in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

But Mitt Romney, the presumptive GOP White House nominee, similarly wants to remove EPA’s power. A Romney win and GOP gains in the Senate in the fall elections about likely breathe new life into efforts by Upton and other Republicans to roll back EPA’s climate rules.

Upton said Tuesday that the bill would “reassert Congress’ authority to direct public policy and will protect Americans from EPA’s overreach.”

And if legislation is frozen in place for now, the rhetorical battle isn’t. Look for fresh battles when top EPA officials appear before GOP-led House committees later this week.

Gina McCarthy, who is EPA’s top air pollution regulator, will appear before a House Energy and Commerce Committee panel on Friday to discuss climate rules, while EPA’s top official – Administrator Lisa Jackson – will appear Thursday before the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.

Top Democrats cheered the court decision, which leaves intact existing and planned rules to limit emissions from vehicles, power plants and other sources.