According to Reuters, the Environmental Protection Agency has announced it will delay its proposal of greenhouse gas limits on oil refineries. Following a court settlement with both states and environmental organizations, the EPA had been given until mid-December to propose these limits on refineries.
However, the delay in the presenting of the proposal is due to the fact the agency needs more time to develop the greenhouse gas standards and construct plans on how oil refineries can cut down on emissions. Here are some facts about the events leading up to the recent proposal delay and the criticism the EPA is facing:
* The EPA initially announced its plans to set standards for power plant and oil refinery greenhouse gas emissions in December 2010, according to Scientific American.
* Collectively the country's 500 fossil fuel power plants and 150 oil refineries emit about 2.4 billion metric tons, or 40 percent of the nation's total emissions, of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases every single year.
* The decision was the result of two major proposed settlement agreements and EPA agreed to set new source performance standards for industrial categories.
* The Tucson Citizen reported that in March, House Republicans attempted to strip the EPA of its ability to use the Clean Air Act from regulating carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and oil refineries.
* The Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 would bar the EPA from imposing these rules, causing President Barack Obama to most likely veto it since it goes against his climate agenda.
* The GOP noted that one of the reasons it was seeking to push this bill is because of rising gas prices in the U.S., noted USA Today.
* Another Reuters article reported that environmental organizations that originally sued to the EPA to enforce the emissions standards have given the agency several extensions for its proposal.
* The most recent extension was in October, but other delays were issued in June and September as well.
* The EPA made the delays in order to gain more time to develop and outline the specific plans after speaking with numerous businesses, states that would be affected by the changes, and environmental organizations in support of the rules.
* Other lawsuits have been filed to prevent the EPA from imposing standards, according to the Dallas Business Journal.
* Additionally, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and Republican Gov. Rick Perry have spoken out against the rules, saying that the changes and stricter standards would kill jobs for Americans.
Rachel Bogart provides an in-depth look at current environmental issues and local Chicago news stories. As a college student from the Chicago suburbs pursuing two science degrees, she applies her knowledge and passion to both topics to garner further public awareness.
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