News

"EPA's inaction on carbon dioxide is intolerable -- a dangerous disservice to the nation," said Blumenthal. "By the administration's own admission, on the public record, greenhouse gas emissions cause global warming, in turn causing disease, environmental damage and weather-related disasters such as drought and flooding."

Reilly commented, "Having recognized the dangers that global warming poses to public health, our environment and our economy, the federal government not only has a clear responsibility to address the problem, but a legal obligation as well under the provisions of the Clean Air Act."

If the lawsuit succeeds, EPA would be required to list carbon dioxide as a criteria pollutant and to regulate it under the Clean Air Act. EPA would then have to begin a process to determine appropriate national ambient air quality standards for the pollutant.

According to the states, the basis for their suit is a 1976 Court of Appeals decision that compelled EPA to set air quality standards for lead. In the case, the Natural Resources Defense Council argued that while EPA acknowledged that lead emissions pose a serious risk, the agency declined to list it as a criteria pollutant and address it as such. As a result of the case, lead is now regulated as one of six criteria pollutants.