The federal Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday it has negotiated an extension of a court-ordered September 30 deadline for issuing rules governing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and other major sources.
The following statements from environment and energy experts at The Heartland Institute may be used for attribution. For additional comments refer to the contact information below, or contact Director of Communications Jim Lakely at [email protected] or 312/377-4000.
While many applaud EPA’s decision to postpone the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions as an immediate victory for the economy, such regulations should not just be postponed, they should be forever abandoned because they are based on factually incorrect science. Atmospheric carbon dioxide is not a pollutant, it is a biospheric benefit necessary for life – all life on our planet. As has been demonstrated in literally thousands of laboratory and field experiments, the higher the CO2 concentration, the bigger and better plants grow.
Craig D. Idso
Senior Fellow, Environment
The Heartland Institute
[email protected]
312/377-4000
Idso is the lead editor of Climate Change Reconsidered: 2011 Interim Report, published by The Heartland Institute in August.
“American workers will appreciate this temporary stay of execution regarding thousands of jobs poised to be eliminated as a result of EPA’s carbon dioxide restrictions. American consumers will also appreciate the temporary reprieve from skyrocketing electricity bills that will also certainly occur.
“Unfortunately, however, EPA shows no sign of backing down from its plans to impose unprecedented and unnecessary carbon dioxide restrictions on the American economy. Before the EPA restrictions are announced later this year, Americans should take the time to look at their electricity bills so we can remember these already-too-high electricity prices as the ‘good old days’ before EPA sent electricity prices through the stratosphere.”
James M. Taylor
Senior Fellow, Environment Policy
The Heartland Institute
[email protected]
The Heartland Institute is a 27-year-old national nonprofit organization with offices in Chicago, Illinois; Washington, DC; Austin, Texas; Tallahassee, Florida; and Columbus, Ohio. Its mission is to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems. For more information, visit our Web site or call 312/377-4000.
Dr. Idso is the founder, former president, and currently chairman of the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change.
