EPA sends carbon dioxide endangerment finding to Obama

November 9, 6:23 PMDenver Science News ExaminerHank Lacey

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The federal government took one more step on the road to regulating the nation's emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere today as the Environmental Protection Agency sent to the White House its scientific conclusion that the compound poses a danger to human health and the environment.

The agency did not release a copy of its finding, a draft of which was published in April. However, agency administrator Lisa M. Jackson told Reuters in an interview Monday that the document was in the hands of the Office of Management and Budget.

OMB has 90 days to approve or deny EPA's finding.

In 2007 the U.S. Supreme Court ordered EPA to decide whether carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas emitted by vehicles, factories and power plants that contributes to global climate change, is hazardous to humans or the planet's environment.

Such a finding is a prerequisite to imposing emission limits on the compound under the nation's principal air pollution control law, the Clean Air Act.

If OMB approves EPA's endangerment conclusion, then the Obama administration will be able to proceed to impose regulations forcing emitters to lower the quantity of CO2 discharged to the atmosphere.

EPA also sent to OMB a proposed conclusion that automobiles and trucks contribute to carbon dioxide pollution.

If upheld by OMB, that finding will allow EPA to regulate tailpipe emissions by increasing the fuel efficiency requirement applicable to new motor vehicles.

EPA faces a deadline of March 2010 to inform manufacturers whether increases in fuel economy standards will be ordered for the 2012 model year.