Jonathon Hiskes at Grist:

Here’s a map of CO2 released from fossil fuels (with red and yellow marking the biggest pollution points), compiled from 2002 data by the Vulcan Project at Purdue University. It’s a map of emissions, which isn’t quite the same as airborne concentrations, but it gives a sense of where pollution happens:

Here is the map:

The Hill:

A mostly Republican group of 20 state and territorial governors is urging Congress to block EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

A letter Wednesday from the governors – 18 Republicans and two Democrats – to House and Senate leaders alleges that planned EPA rules to limit heat-trapping emissions would harm their state economies.

“We feel compelled to guard against a regulatory approach that would increase the cost of electricity and gasoline prices, manufactured products, and ultimately harm the competitiveness of the U.S. economy,” states the letter to Democratic and GOP leadership.

The letter is below:

Read the rest of this entry »

Wonk Room:

This act of conspiracy-driven ideology is hardly alone — a Wonk Room investigation has found at least fifteen state legislatures attempting to prevent limits on greenhouse gas pollution. The states of Alabama and Utah have already adopted resolutions calling for the overturn of the Environmental Protection Agency’s global warming endangerment finding, with legislators in thirteen more states in tow. Several of these “Dirty Air Act” resolutions argue that the overwhelming scientific consensus on the threat of manmade global warming is actually a conspiracy.

Go here to read the full piece.

E2 Wire:

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R) is trying to rally support among his fellow governors for an effort in Congress to prevent EPA from regulating greenhouse gases.

A draft letter, which Barbour is circulating in advance of a National Governors Association meeting this weekend, says EPA’s regulatory push would place “heavy administrative burdens on state environmental quality agencies.”

The letter urges members of Congress to support Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s efforts (R-Alaska) to use the Congressional Review Act to block EPA from regulating carbon dioxide and other heat trapping gases.

Here is the draft letter:

ngaletter –

More on this from David Roberts and Michael Graham Richard.

The Green Miles:

Richmond- Today, Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia, petitioned the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to convene a proceeding for the reconsideration of the “Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Finding for Greenhouse Gases Under Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act”(Endangerment Finding) published by the EPA on December 15th, 2009.

The petition asks that the EPA reconvene the regulatory proceeding, provide the public with the opportunity to comment on newly available information, and provide such information to the Science Advisory Board for its review and comment.

A petition for judicial review of the endangerment finding was also filed today in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Virginia is the first state to file such petitions.

Here is the Petition for Reconsideration of Endangerment & Cause:

Comm_20v_20EPA_20-_20Pet_20for_20Reconsideration_202_16_10 –

Here is the Petition for Judicial Review:

Comm_20v_20EPA_20-_20Pet_20to_20Review_202_16_10 –

I mentioned this the other day but didn’t realize at the time that Collin Peterson (D-Big Ag) would also be an original sponsor.

Here is the legislation, as introduced:

HouseEPAbill –

Washington Post:

The world’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases met a global deadline Sunday to reiterate their commitments to fight climate change. Under the Copenhagen Accord, which was struck in December, industrialized and major developing nations had to declare by Jan. 31 how much they would cut their emissions by 2020. Spanish Secretary of State Teresa Rivera Rodriguez, whose country holds the European Union presidency, said the pledges will turn the accord “into something meaningful.”

Daniel Kessler at TreeHugger:

Last year, the EPA issued a long awaited set of guidelines on regulating large, stationary sources of CO2. The rules, known as the “Endangerment Finding,” used the authority granted to the agency through a Supreme Court ruling that found CO2 to be a pollutant that the EPA could regulate. While environmentalists, especially those skeptical of Congress’ ability to regulate CO2, rejoiced, some industry groups protested, filing a lawsuit. Today, 16 states and New York City joined the lawsuit on behalf of the government.

Coal and mining companies Massey Energy Co., National Beef Cattlemen’s Association and Alpha Natural Resources Inc. are behind the lawsuit. Fighting them, citing the threat of climate change and the need for action, are Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

Here is the motion submitted by the 16 states:

epamotion –

More at The Hill’s E2 Wire.

The Hill

Republican lawmakers battling planned Environmental Protection Agency climate change rules said Thursday that EPA has run afoul of federal data standards — and they’re citing the now-infamous hacked climate science e-mails to bolster their case.

Four GOP lawmakers say EPA’s recent “endangerment finding” that greenhouse gas emissions threaten human health — a finding that’s a precursor to regulation — violates the Data Quality Act (DQA).

The lawmakers — Sen. John Barrasso (Wyo.), Sen. David Vitter (La.), Rep. Darrell Issa (Calif.) and Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (Wis.) — made the allegation in a Thursday letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson.

The DQA is a very brief statute that was buried in a 2000 appropriations bill. It says federal agencies must ensure the integrity of data they disseminate and allows outside parties to submit petitions for corrections.

Here is the letter:

epaletterdqa –