The Climate Post: Once more unto the breach, dear friends<\/a><\/p>\n Coalfield protesters want to know when EPA chief will visit Appalachia<\/a><\/p>\n Lisa Jackson’s Reaction To Mountaintop Removal Activist Lock Down At EPA<\/a><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\tby Michael A. Livermore <\/p>\n
This week, the
\nEnvironmental Protection Agency will do more than set new fuel efficiency
\nstandards for cars. It will put a price on carbon.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Within this historic
\nclimate change regulation is a powerful new way of thinking about greenhouse gas
\nemissions: as costs that will borne by society. Burning oil in cars imposes a
\nsteep price tag, from dirtier air now, to more expensive flood insurance in a
\ndecade, to potential climate catastrophe for our grandchildren.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The federal
\ngovernment has taken note of these hidden costs and is now using them to weigh
\nthe benefits of curbing our emissions. It’s a smart move: regulations might not
\nseem worth doing if we pretend these price tags said “free.” But when the real
\ncosts of business as usual are recognized, the need to rein-in emissions is
\nobvious.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
EPA’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards
\nare a big, green deal in and of themselves. These standards embody common sense
\ngreenhouse gas reductions and, as we can tell from Detroit’s recent meltdown,
\nshould have been done a long time ago. The new standards will save consumers
\nbillions at the pump, wean us off OPEC’s pipelines and drive technology
\ninnovations here in America.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
And of course it
\nwill help to slow down our contributions to the greenhouse gases that are
\nwarming our planet. Using the new carbon price, EPA estimates that the rule will
\nsave $16.4 billion in climate costs down the line.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
While Members of
\nCongress work towards a legislative path for a larger carbon pricing plan, EPA’s
\nrecognition of the costs of carbon emissions is a strong and important move. For
\nalmost a century our nation has ignored the ways greenhouse gases have adversely
\naffected our long-term bottom line. We focus only on the price of a gallon at
\nthe pump and close our eyes to the price of we are imposing both on ourselves
\nand our children.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
So kudos to EPA
\nAdministrator Lisa Jackson for killing two carbon emitting birds with one stone.
\nWith these new and improved CAFE standards, we save money with more miles per
\ngallon and take an important step toward a saner energy
\neconomy.<\/p>\n
Related Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Climate Post: Once more unto the breach, dear friends<\/a><\/p>\n Coalfield protesters want to know when EPA chief will visit Appalachia<\/a><\/p>\n Lisa Jackson’s Reaction To Mountaintop Removal Activist Lock Down At EPA<\/a><\/p>\n