Senate Environment Committee Dems to colleagues: Don’t block EPA emissions rules

Democratic members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee are jointly urging their Senate colleagues to oppose Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s (R-Alaska) proposal to overturn EPA’s “endangerment finding” that greenhouse gases threaten human health.

The formal finding last month is a precursor to planned EPA regulation of emissions from power plants, cars, factories and other sources – overturning the finding would block EPA from moving ahead.

“Debating policy choices regarding the appropriate response to unchecked climate change is fair, and the Senate will continue to evaluate the best tools for addressing greenhouse gas emissions, but repealing the endangerment finding based upon years of work by America’s scientists and public health experts is not appropriate,” the “dear colleague” letter from all 12 committee Democrats states.

Murkowski is planning to introduce a resolution blocking the endangerment finding under the rarely used Congressional Review Act that allows Congress to overturn federal agency rules. The resolution would be referred to the Environment Committee, but can be discharged and brought to the floor with a petition by 30 members, which Murkowski could easily assemble.

The measure could not be filibustered on the Senate floor. But Murkowski would nonetheless face a difficult path even if the resolution passed the full Senate – which it might – because House action would be needed and a White House veto would loom.

The letter also urges members to oppose other amendments that would prevent EPA from moving ahead with emissions rules. Murkowski may offer a separate amendment to block EPA emissions rules when the Senate debates a further increase in the debt ceiling later this month.

Murkowski has previously sought to prevent EPA from regulating heat-trapping emissions from stationary sources, but her current strategy remains uncertain, Murkowski spokesman Robert Dillon said.

“If she doesn’t do the amendment [on the debt ceiling bill] for whatever reason, it will be an amendment on something else, or more likely the disapproval resolution,” Dillon said early Tuesday afternoon. “There will be some effort to stop the EPA. We are just not sure what vehicle it will take.” He added that Murkowski could elect to pursue both tracks.

The Washington Post reported Monday that Murkowski is likely to delay her plan to offer the amendment during the Jan. 20 debate on the debt ceiling.