Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) may attempt to handcuff U.S. EPA's ability to regulate stationary sources of greenhouse gases with an amendment to the agency's annual spending bill.
Murkowski, ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, may introduce an amendment to the fiscal 2010 Interior and environment appropriations bill that would allow EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions only from mobile sources, and prohibit the agency from regulating heat-trapping emissions from stationary sources like power plants and industrial facilities.
Environmentalists assailed the amendment, saying it would basically instruct EPA to ignore the law.
"This amendment suggests that if global warming pollution comes from a power plant, it is safe, but if it comes from a car, it is harmful," said David Moulton, director of climate policy and conservation funding at the Wilderness Society. "That is a preposterous distinction that cannot be supported in either law or fact."
Frank O'Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch called the amendment "an outrageous assault on EPA's ability to interpret the Supreme Court decision."
I have often stayed somewhat neutral when it comes to Lisa "Daddy's little girl" Murkowsi, and even felt a little relief when I became convinced that Palin would not steal her Senate seat out from under her.
However being better than Palin is hardly the definition of being good. And it is now very clear that Murkowski will sell out the people of Alaska in favor of profits for the oil companies, just like dear old dad.
Attempting to prevent the EPA from following the law to protect rapidly melting sea ice is especially egregious considering the great harm we are witnessing right here in Alaska, not to mention the impact it is having in other parts of the northern hemisphere.
The facts are that climate change is real and it is way past time for Republicans to stop worrying about protecting their major campaign contributors and to start worrying more about their constituents and the state they claim to serve.
And if Senator Murkowski is too steeped in old fashioned political tradition to see that, then perhaps it is time to really make Alaskan history and have TWO Democratic Senators in Washington.
(H/T to Wit's End for the polar bear link.)