Energy Today -- February 15, 2011
Rayola Dougher
Posted February 15, 2011
Oil and Gas Journal: API: Congress, not EPA, should direct GHG policy: Congress should direct US policy on greenhouse gas emissions rather than the Environmental Protection Agency, American Petroleum Institute spokesmen told reporters during a Feb. 4 conference call from Washington, DC. Khary Cauthen, API director of federal relations, said he sees growing, bipartisan sentiment among congressional members that EPA needs to be stopped from regulating GHG emissions under the Clean Air Act. For instance, Cauthen said CAA never was intended to regulate stationary source GHG emissions. Previously, API has asked EPA officials to reconsider using New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) under the CAA to set GHG standards. Cauthen said API is concerned that "overly burdensome regulations" could hinder companies from creating jobs and spurring the nation's economic growth. Howard Feldman, API director of regulatory and scientific affairs, said EPA should finalize NSPS that remain under development before setting new GHG standards.