Decision looms on Murkowski amendment to block EPA rules

An aide to Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Monday that Murkowski has not yet decided whether to offer an amendment this week that would block EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions.

Senate leaders are allowing her a floor vote on climate change as part of the debate on debt ceiling legislation that the chamber takes up Wednesday, but it's not clear if she'll take the chance.

Murkowski wants to prevent EPA from crafting rules that would limit emissions from stationary sources like power plants and factories. She alleges such rules would cause economic harm, but 60 votes is unlikely.

Murkowski is also weighing use of a blunter instrument: a "resolution of disapproval" that would overturn EPA's "endangerment finding" that greenhouse gases threaten human welfare. The finding is a legal precursor to any future emissions rules.

That plan would also stop EPA's less controversial auto emissions rule, which the agency is crafting as part of a joint emissions and mileage standards policy with the Transportation Department. The resolution could not be filibustered, although it would face massive hurdles even if it cleared the Senate.

Murkowski spokesman Robert Dillon said Monday morning that Murkowski will do something Wednesday to reveal which direction she's heading — either introduce her amendment or take to the floor to tout the resolution of disapproval. The resolution would not be part of the debt ceiling debate.

"Come Wednesday we will all know what she decides," he said, adding that Murkowski is still weighing support for the various approaches.

Dillon said Murkowski has secured the backing of a Democrat for her efforts to block EPA, but he didn't name names.

Kate Sheppard of Mother Jones, who noted Friday evening that there's a mystery Democratic backer, listed several centrist Democrats as possibilities: Sens. Mary Landrieu (La.), Ben Nelson (Neb.), Jim Webb (Va.), Byron Dorgan (N.D.) and Blanche Lincoln (Ark.).