Obama Bypassing Congress on Environmental Regulations

The success of President Obama’s second-term climate agenda hinges on a set of regulations now in the works at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). His plan to combat global warming through new emissions standards and a shift toward increased renewable energy faces serious opposition from business groups and Congress is steeling for battle.

The centerpiece of Obama’s push is a set of regulations to limit greenhouse gas pollution from new and existing power plants, the source of about 40 percent of carbon emissions.

Republicans and industry groups are upset that the administration is sidestepping Congress.

In September, the administration is expected to unveil a revised set of draft emissions standards for new power plants.

The EPA is working on additional standards for existing plants, to be proposed next June and finalized the following year.

Federal rules, especially major ones, take years to finalize. Even if the rule for existing power plants is completed as expected, which is far from guaranteed, states will not need to submit their implementation plans until 2016. By then, Obama will be out of the White House.

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