"Despite stalled progress in Congress on a cap-and-trade climate bill, supporters of a regime to curb carbon dioxide emissions have taken comfort in the Obama administration's push to regulate greenhouse gases.

But a possible amendment from Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has the potential to handcuff U.S. EPA from exercising its full regulatory power, a scenario that has sent shockwaves through the environmental community.

The amendment to EPA's fiscal 2010 spending bill would allow the agency to regulate carbon dioxide emissions only from mobile sources and prohibit it from regulating heat-trapping emissions from stationary sources like power plants and industrial facilities. The limits would be in place for one year."

Robin Bravender and Darren Samuelsohn report for ClimateWire in the New York Times September 22, 2009. [2]

See Also:

"GOP Senator Considering Rider to Limit EPA Authority" (ClimateWire) [3]

"Boxer Readies for Climate Bill Introduction, Mid-Oct. Markup" (ClimateWire) [4]