A ruling in 2007 by the United States Supreme Court gave the federal government the green light for classifying carbon dioxide as a harmful pollutant which could fall under the regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The ruling stated that the EPA could set standards and regulations for the emissions of Carbon Dioxide just as it has for other harmful toxins and pollutants under the Clean Air Act of 1990. The Bush Administration; however, declined to protect the environment and the health of citizens by requiring the EPA to regulate this harmful greenhouse gas. Under a possible new Obama Administration, this could change.
Senator Obama's energy advisor, Jason Grumet, stated that if the Illinois Senator makes it to the White House in 2009 he plans to follow the lead of the Supreme Court by declaring CO2 a dangerous pollutant and to mandate EPA enforcement of the standards and limits on emissions as stated in the 1990 revised Clean Air Act. According to Grumet, Obama would place the greenhouse gas in the same category as other air polluting toxins; however, he would not interfere with those regulations or the advice of the scientific community on the matter. Those issues would be under the authority of the EPA who would have to insure that CO2 emissions were meeting the standards for air quality.
Many are hoping that this will help to stop or delay the building of new coal burning plants which McCain and others are pushing for. If they are successful, 130 needless coal burning plants would be constructed which would have an overwhelmingly disastrous effect not only the environment but on our air quality, the health of US citizens, and coal workers. Deaths and illness related to the air pollution caused by coal have already seen a steady rise. This, along with the detrimental impacts that we are seeing on the environment due to the emissions of coal burning plants, has many hoping that this will be the first of many needed steps to product our health and the environment from those who seem to have an agenda that ignores both the needs and welfare of Americans and the health of our dying planet.
Only time will tell if Obama makes it to the White House and if he will stay true to his word, but this is definitely a positive sign that the environment may see some light at the end of the election tunnel.