Murkowski’s EPA plan ‘on hold’ pending Rockefeller effort

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has put her proposal to nullify EPA’s power to regulate greenhouse gases on hold while she watches the progress of Sen. Jay Rockefeller’s (D-W.Va.) less aggressive plan to do the same thing.

Murkowski has 40 co-sponsors for a resolution that would nix EPA’s endangerment finding that the gases threaten humans. The finding is a legal precursor for all planned EPA rules to limit emissions under its current Clean Air Act powers.

Rockefeller has introduced a separate bill that would stop EPA regulation of greenhouse gases from stationary industrial sources like power plants and factories for two years.

“At this point in time we are kind of on hold,” she told reporters this morning. Murkowski doesn’t think a two-year pause is sufficient but nonetheless has signaled support for Rockefeller’s effort.

“I am going to look and see if he’s working to advance that,” Murkowski said. “We’ll see if he’s serious about moving this.”

Murkowski had initially planned to bring her resolution to the floor this month. She has floated the resolution under the Congressional Review Act, a law that allows Congress to overturn federal rules but has been used successfully just once.

Her resolution could not be subjected to a filibuster.