The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will soon finalize a suite of rules that the election had put on hold, Inside EPA reports. Rules receiving action include a plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants. The agency will likely put forth a Tier III standard to reduce pollution from vehicles and fuel.
The EPA has put off issuing any controversial rules since early 2012, focusing instead on popular regulations, such as its greenhouse gas rule for vehicles. But now that the election is over, the agency will release regulations that are sure to garner opposition from Republicans, who have been expecting a slew of EPA regulations if the President was re-elected.
With President Obama in office for another term, the EPA has four additional years to finish its work, which may mean the agency will push through stalled proposals immediately to avoid any partisan, fiscal fights. “EPA will either rush the rules out before the Republicans can get organized and in front of whatever deal they’re going to have on the debt ceiling and tax rates,” said one energy strategist. The source said EPA could dole the regulations out in a slow trickle starting now and ending June 30.
Environmentalists want the agency to propose Tier III standards, after that proposal was delayed over worry about how it would impact soaring gasoline prices. (NACS: www.nacsonline.com)
