By Libby Casey
Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski introduced legislation today to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s finding that greenhouse gasses are a danger to public health.
She filed a rarely used “Resolution of Disapproval” to fight the Environmental Protection Agency. The E-P-A says greenhouse gasses are a health danger, so can be regulated under the Clean Air Act. But Murkowski said Thursday on the Senate floor that the Agency’s “finding” will impose back-door regulations.
It’s not merely a “finding.” It’s actually a floodgate, and under the guise of protecting the environment, it’s set to unleash a wave of damaging new regulations that will wash over and further submerge our struggling economy.
Murkowski warned pollution restrictions could hit power plants, large hotels, hospitals, mines, and fish processors – including in Alaska.
But environmentalists and Democrats on the Senate Environment Committee struck back, saying that’s “nonsense.” California Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer chairs the committee, and says she’s been assured the E-P-A won’t shut down businesses.
She says Murkowski’s resolution disputes fundamental scientific conclusions that come from both the Obama and the Bush Administrations.
Today an assault on the American people was begun with the announcement of whether Senator Murkowski will try for the first time in history to overturn a scientific finding that clearly calls carbon pollution a danger to the health of our families.
Murkowski’s resolution needs 51 votes to pass the Senate. She has 35 Republican co-sponsors, and three Democrats on board: Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu and Nebraskan Ben Nelson. Alaska Senator Mark Begich says he hasn’t yet decided whether to support the measure.
Murkowski says she hopes to bring her resolution to a vote soon, but wouldn’t be more specific.
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