Clouding the air

7 December 2009 By James Pethokoukis

The US environmental regulator’s finding that greenhouse gases endanger human health won t create new carbon restrictions any time soon. Litigation and legislative pushback will keep such actions in stasis. What it will no doubt achieve is greater regulatory uncertainty.

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formally declared on Monday that greenhouse gases endanger human health, just as a major climate change summit opened in Copenhagen.

The ruling by the EPA followed its preliminary finding earlier this year. It will allow the agency to regulate planetwarming gases without legislation in the U.S. Congress.

Business groups argued the move, which could allow regulation of gases from vehicle tailpipes or smokestacks, would hurt the economy and jobs just as the country is emerging from a deep recession.

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