Gary Post-Tribune Editorial Oct 6, 2009
http://www.post-trib.com/news/opinion/1808201,edit-epa.article
It's about time.
Starting Jan. 1, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will require the largest greenhouse gas emitters to monitor and report what's spewed into the nation's skies.
It's 2009 -- nearly 40 years after the Clean Air Act passed -- and we still have little handle on how much greenhouse gas is emitted each year.
How are we to get a handle on challenging climate change without knowing the full extent of emissions?
(And for those people who insist climate change is a hoax, the Flat Earth Society is seeking like-minded members.)
The new rule covers refineries, iron and steel production, electricity generation, cement production and some municipal solid waste landfills. Small businesses, homeowners and schools are exempt because the EPA is most concerned about the biggest emitters of the gases.
What makes this more important is that the federal mandate affects recalcitrant states that lag not just in environmental enforcement but in environmental concern as well.
Can you say Indiana?
The Hoosier state is just one of nine that has chosen not to be part of the voluntary reporting system called the Climate Registry.
It should come as no surprise that the state is one of a handful that wouldn't be involved voluntarily.
The Daniels administration has shown not just a lack of concern about the environment; it has paraded its antipathy toward green initiatives loudly and clearly around the state.
For the majority of Hoosiers who care about the environment -- in spite of the governor -- it's a tremendous step forward for the state and the country.
It is, after all, hard to fix a problem unless you understand what's causing it.
And it's about time we know.
Rep. Ryan Dvorak (D-South Bend) introduced HB 1352 during the 2009 Regular Session of the Indiana General Assembly.
Synopsis of HB 1352: The climate registry. Requires the state of Indiana to become a member of and participate in the climate registry concerning greenhouse gas emissions reporting and reduction. Requires the governor or the governor's designee to sign the registry's statement of principles and goals to become a member of the registry and deliver a copy of the signed statement to the registry before July 1, 2009. Establishes an exception to the registry membership requirement if a petition of opposition is submitted to the governor by the majority of the local economic development commissions in the state. Allows the governor to withdraw the state from the registry if the governor determines that membership causes a loss of jobs or missed opportunities for jobs.
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1 comment:
Indiana joining The Climate Registry is a no-brainer. Participation in reporting greenhouse gases is voluntary. So this constitutes one of the simplest forms of at least green window dressing for a state like Indiana that could use a little tidying up of its environmental reputation. Does the fossil fool industry run the General Assembly and the Guv's office? Or is this just the flat-earth society having its way?
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