Fred Upton Vows To Fight Obama Plan For Limiting Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The incoming chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee is promising a fight over the Obama administration's new approach on limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

Congress failed last year to pass limits and let companies buy and sell pollution permits. That system was known as "cap and trade" - but to Republicans it was "cap and tax" because they said it would raise energy prices.

The administration now say it'll act on its own to clamp down on power plant and oil refinery greenhouse emissions by developing new standards over the next year.

But Michigan Rep. Fred Upton tells "Fox News Sunday" that the GOP-led House won't "let this administration regulate what they've been unable to legislate." He says Republicans want to tackle the problem "in a reasonable way."

Bruce Drake at Politics Daily reports:

In late December, the EPA announced a timetable for the new rules that would include stricter emission standards for power plants and oil refineries.

Upton said, "We're going to have early, early hearings on this. We're going to see exactly what their (the EPA's) analysis is on its impact on jobs. There's also something called the Congressional Review Act, that within 60 days of rules being published, Congress can take this up and with an up-or-down vote, it is filibuster-proof in the Senate. It's been used before."

Reuters reported last month:

Underscoring his support for conservative views, Upton has called for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling, scaling back government aid for renewable energy and voiced opposition to requiring electric utilities to use alternative energy for some of their power generation.

President Barack Obama strongly opposes giving oil companies access to the refuge.

Comments

[Malcolm Hensley]

12:00 AM on 01/08/2011

The EPA in its first 20 plus years did wonderful things for everybody especially minorities­­. It cleaned up our rivers, started the clean up of countless dump sites, dramatical­­ly reduced acid rain and cleaned up our air to levels comparable to 70-80 years ago!

But the rules changed, Bill Clinton and the Republican­­s pass NAFTA joined the WTO and the EPA continued doing things as usual! It's a two edge sword regulation­s and free trade! Instead of being the friends of minorities the EPA became an uncaring accomplice to the destructio­­n of the ladder out of poverty.

Most think the first rung out of poverty is education. It's not it's that low level entry job in a factory! Stripped away by our government with the double edge sword of free trade and regulation­s! Now, youths of color instead of going to work go to jails because there are no entry jobs in factories!

Worse yet the EPA has become an accomplice in the poisoning of people of color in other nations so they can make a little cheaper products for us! Creating new super fund sites, poisoning our oceans, raising CO2 levels beyond levels not seen in millions of years!

The EPA needs to change with the times! Don't roll back our environmen­­tal gains! The EPA needs the power to regulate products environmen­tal impact! This would include transporta­­tion, manufactur­ing, any generated waste products, etc.

If Upton figures this out before us Progressives!!!!!!!!!­!!

Imagine environmen­talist being called Racist!!!

[Rich Phitzwell]

02:35 PM on 01/05/2011

"let this administration regulate what they've been unable to legislate." He says Republicans want to tackle the problem "in a reasonable way."

Oil, Oil, Oil, Coal, Coal, Coal.

[ClimateHawk]

08:10 AM on 01/04/2011

Maybe Fred has a spare planet tucked away somewhere?

[ArbitorA]

09:35 PM on 01/03/2011

My God, the planet is dying at our hands and fools want to stop any effort to preserve what's left of it for future generations. These are the most self-centered, selfish, and self-righteous spoil brats imaginable.

[Robert Masters]

05:11 PM on 01/03/2011

We are no longer a nation of laws but a nation of beueaucrats. The rules are now made by the agencies that were created by Congress ceding power to the executive branch. Congress needs to recapture its constitutional mandate to legislate laws instead of legislating executive branch agencies to write laws for them.

[ClimateHawk]

07:34 PM on 01/03/2011

While they are at it, could they write laws that will help prevent us from totally hosing up the climate?

Perhaps they could write laws that do not treat corporations as individuals, or treat a corporation as an individual but find a way to throw the corporation in jail when it commits a crime.

[Robert Masters]

11:00 PM on 01/03/2011

That pesky constitution might get in the way of your obsessions. The individuals that run corporations are already targeted when crimes are committed.

[ArbitorA]

09:46 PM on 01/03/2011

The agencies do not and cannot make rules out of thin air. They must interpret the intent of Congress from laws passed or judicial orders given. When the intent of Congress or the courts is not crystal clear, it is by design to see how the agencies and the governed react from which actions may be taken to iterate on the goal. That is the nature of self-government.

No form of government is perfect. However, I would take our republic over dictatorship "in a heartbeat."

[Robert Masters]

10:38 PM on 01/03/2011

Yes they can and do. Where in the law creating the EPA does it allow them to regulate CO2?

Where in the Constitution does it give the executive branch the power to make rules? Read Article 1 before you answer.

[BBROWN69]

02:05 PM on 01/03/2011

EPA to the GOP = Less money and power. Therefore, we must restrict the EPA. This is really sad and shows their tru colors. The People be DAMNED!

[getoffmedz]

02:04 PM on 01/03/2011

The new House Energy and Commerce Committee will be serving their corporate masters.

Simple as that.

[Bronxdude]

01:55 PM on 01/03/2011

Decision Points: Who drove the economy into a ditch and left the nation unsafe? 9/11 – worst terrorist attack in American history – occurs during republican administration, and Darrell is silent. Duplicitous republican sock-puppets lie to manipulate patriotism, invade Iraq, and Darrell is silent. Bush squanders Clinton surplus, triples deficit, and Darrell is silent. Bush appoints horse trader to head FEMA, thousands die in the aftermath of Katrina, and Darrell is silent. Bush guts Geneva Conventions, authorizes torture, and Darrell is silent. Bush supports subprime mortgage derivatives, deregulates financial industry, America dances on the precipice of economic annihilation, and Darrell is silent. Bush ignores Fourth Amendment, weakens Constitutional rights, authorizes warrantless wiretaps, and Darrell is silent. Bush signs Prescription Drug Bill, largest unfunded give-away in history, and Darrell is silent. Bush allows Osama to escape from Afghanistan, and Darrell is silent. Bush signs NCLB legislation, the most intrusive, unfunded federal law in history, and Darrell is quiet. Bush sends troops to war with no body amour, thousands die, and Darrell is silent. Bush deregulation exposes millions to toxic products from China, and Darrell is silent. Republican deregulation kills and injures hundreds of miners, and Darrell is quiet. Staffed during the Bush Administration with Halliburton lackeys, acoustic safety “shut-off” switches are banned by the Minerals Management Service, McCain screams “drill, baby, drill,” largest preventable oil leak in history occurs, and Darrell is silent. Hypocrisy!

[Rich Phitzwell]

02:38 PM on 01/05/2011

It wouldnt matter if the R's had complete control of government for the past 150 years, fox will convince enough people that its the D's fault for everything during the 150 years

[Mike Gallagher]

01:45 PM on 01/03/2011

It seems the Republicans are willing to damage the country to regain power so they can damage the country even more.

We should all go solar: http://www.facebook.com/pages/WATT-Electric-Inc/10150131616140076

[oxjr]

01:36 PM on 01/03/2011

There is a glimmer of hope. I just read an article in Scientific America how developing countries are doing a better job of curbing CO2 and they are not doing it with huge government plans, but indirectly through urban planning. By fighting smog city by city, developing nations have been able to reduce CO2 production faster than developed nations.

Even a Republican Mayor cannot ignore sprawl, smog deaths, traffic issues etc. Demand your mayors improve transit, keep sprawl in check with green buffer zones, invest in 'smart' stop lights, enact idling laws etc etc. Keep your local elected officials engaged and you won't have to worry about guys like this.

[Rich Phitzwell]

02:52 PM on 01/05/2011

After living in socal I can tell you that sprawl is very damaging in many ways including economics, but I can also say that in places like socal they have developed master plans and turn around to the highest bidder and go against the plan at the first opportunity.

These master plans are developed by city planners, fire and police, caltrans etc and then put up to vote and approved. People always complain about traffic but the second someone wants to build 10k homes on a preserve that would of course add 20-30k more cars to the already congested freeway daily they scream and moan about how government is blocking it and all the lost jobs. Ya this has actually been happening in my area on two large tracks of land in a rural area during a housing crisis where I can drive down any street and see plenty of houses foreclosed on. In a city of 300k I would be willing to bet that there are far more than 10k houses readily available that have been on the market for going on a year.

In the end, the almighty dollar will win.

[iamsparticus]

12:41 PM on 01/03/2011

Wait, what happened to jobs? This guy is calling for taking away all of the jobs that have been created to look for alternative sources of energy...isn't that exactly the opposite of the platform the republicans ran on?

[robcsw]

12:40 PM on 01/03/2011

"Underscoring his support for conservative views, Upton has called for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling, scaling back government aid for renewable energy and voiced opposition to requiring electric utilities to use alternative energy for some of their power generation.
Story continues below
President Barack Obama strongly opposes giving oil companies access to the refuge"

He opposes it does he? Didn't he also oppose the tax extensions for the rich; and didn't he promise to get a "public option" into the health care bill. In each of these cases, his so called opponents came out of his legislation better than they went in. Now let's see how long it takes our courageous president to cave into the demands of the polluters. I'll bet that by the time he finishes opposing them, they will have even more of a right to slash and burn the environment.

We sorely need someone on our side in this country.

[iamsparticus]

12:39 PM on 01/03/2011

"Underscoring his support for conservative views, Upton has called for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling, scaling back government aid for renewable energy and voiced opposition to requiring electric utilities to use alternative energy for some of their power generation. "

Wow. After what happened in the Gulf this past year, and the fact that the Alaskan Wildlife still has not recovered from the Exxon Valdez 20 years ago, yes, please, let's put more of our wildlife in harms way.

The interesting thing about opening up ANWAR is that the bills that have tried before have said they will only use X amount of land to drill. What they chose to leave out is that the X amount of land is only for square footage of things actually touching the ground...so a pipeline, which has supports every few hundred feet, will only take up a minimal amount of land, because they only count the support area touching the ground. So, the bills are basically calling for a complete loss of this natural refuge for wildlife.

[doodlebug2]

01:05 PM on 01/03/2011

people have saying open anwar for years, it won't happen. It is a political issue only.

[zdeedle]

11:49 AM on 01/03/2011

maybe if these congress people who fight environmental control get some pollution dumped in their own homes, their personal dwellings, they would understand what some of the rest of us feel. they are so isolated in their gated communities and ivory towers, maybe they don't see what foul air and tainted water can do to a place and the population there. even china is beginning to understand that now.

[bboyy]

11:42 AM on 01/03/2011

this issue is more imortanr to me than anything else. I WILL NOT BE QUIET ABOUT THIS. I will call every congressmen on this committee, senators and the whitehouse. THEY WILL NOT DIRTY THE AIR I BREATHE WITHOUT ABIG FIGHT......ITS ON