Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is heading up Senate efforts to stymie the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulation of carbon dioxide, while the Chamber of Commerce last week kicked off a legal attack on the forthcoming rules. Now, Murkowski and the Chamber are joining forces on plans to bar the agency from regulating planet-warming gases.
The senator will join Chamber members on a conference call next Thursday to discuss her efforts to block the EPA regulations, the Chamber announced in an invitation on Friday. “Join in this worthwhile opportunity to hear an overview of the EPA’s move toward regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, its burdensome effects on business, and Congress’ response to the move,” reads the invitation, which Mother Jones obtained.
“Senator Murkowski has introduced bipartisan legislation to allow time for Congress to address the climate change issue and prevent the EPA from moving forward with a regulatory scheme to regulate greenhouse gases under the ill-suited framework of the Clean Air Act,” it continues. “On January 14, the first major step of that process—an EPA final rule concluding that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare—took effect, and with it the obligation to move forward with what could easily become the most expensive and intrusive set of regulations in history. The implementation of these rules will have a significant impact on the economy and small businesses.”
Murkowski has faced criticism for working with energy lobbyists on previous efforts to block the EPA. Her most recent motion to prevent the agency from regulating carbon dioxide has also received support from some Democrats, is expected to be voted on next month.
