The Koch-Exxon-Skeptic Argument Went Up In Smoke On Eve Of Upton's Show Trial

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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its authority to regulate global warming pollution went through its first shakedown today before the Koch Industries and ExxonMobil funded [pdf] House Committee on Energy and Commerceโ€™s Energy and Power Subcommittee.

The show trial was a chance for the Kochtopus, fossil fuel interests, and global warming skeptics (including Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) who announced he is releasing a denialist book) to cry foul that industry is being victimized and that global warming is not a threat, and does not pose any risks to the health and well-being of Americans, and the planet.

But Chairman Fred Upton’s (R-MI) and co-author Sen. Inhofeโ€™s polluter-friendly bill, โ€œThe Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011โ€ (see memo [pdf]) had to contend with the โ€œbombshellโ€ revelations released late on the eve before the meeting. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), the ranking Democrat on the Committee, posted a particularly relevant January 2008 letter [pdf] from former EPA Administrator Steven L. Johnson to then President George W. Bush.

Reported first by Climate Progress, Johnsonโ€™s letter instructed President Bush โ€œto use EPAโ€™s authority under the Clean Air Act to reduceโ€ global warming pollution and that his administration must release an โ€œendangerment findingโ€ since carbon emissions endanger public health and theย environment:

โ€œThe Supreme Courtโ€™s Massachusetts v EPA decision still requires a response. That case combined with the latest science of climate change requires the Agency to propose a positive endangerment findingโ€ฆ.ย  the state of the latest climate change science does not permit a negative finding, nor does it permit a credible finding that we need to wait for moreย research.โ€

Johnson also told the President that his administration must cut global warmingย pollution:

โ€œWithin the next several months, EPA must face regulating greenhouse gases from power plants, some industrial sources, petroleum refineries and cementย kilns.โ€

Prior to todayโ€™s trial, Waxman wrote to Upton reminding himย that:

โ€œโ€ฆboth Republican and Democratic Administrations have had the same view of the science:ย  carbon emissions are a serious threat to our nationโ€™s welfare.ย  I urge you to leave the science to scientists and drop your effort to use legislation to overturn EPAโ€™s endangermentย finding.โ€

Releasing the Johnson letter effectively undermined any legitimacy that the polluter-funded attacks on the EPA may have had in asserting that there are no health risks from global warming pollution.

As well, overturning the Upton-Inhofe economic โ€œargumentโ€ that curbing carbon emissions means the loss of jobs, CERES has just released a new report which specifies that the EPAโ€™s new air pollution rules are expected to create high-skilled and well-paying jobs, nearly 1.5 million over the next five years. So much for โ€œjob killingโ€.

At the very least, the next time Sen. Inhofe declares that the โ€œEPAโ€™s regulations will impose enormous costs for no meaningful benefitsโ€”in other words, all pain for no climate gainโ€ – tell him he really does need to have scientists attest to his personal claims (or at least have one attend his meetings) – and that you wonโ€™t be buying hisย book.

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