Comments on: Carbon Emissions "Not a Factor" When Approving Coal Plants, EPA Administrator Says http://www.globalwarmingisreal.com/blog/2008/12/23/carbon-emissions-not-a-factor-when-approving-coal-plants-epa-administrator-says/ News, Resources, and Commentary on Climate Change, Energy, and Sustainability Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:00:01 -0800 hourly 1 By: Thomas Schueneman http://www.globalwarmingisreal.com/blog/2008/12/23/carbon-emissions-not-a-factor-when-approving-coal-plants-epa-administrator-says/#comment-6765 Thomas Schueneman Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:56:13 +0000 http://www.globalwarmingisreal.com/blog/?p=1618#comment-6765 Well, we'll just disagree about the process the EPA has taken under the leadership of Johnson. It is an enormously important issue, on that we do agree. And yes, the nature of a bureaucracy is to move slowly and methodically. I am reminded of the recent case of the Dept. of Interior pushing through an important and substantive change in the Endangered Species Act - and example of a bureaucracy that didn't move so slowly or methodically... www.globalwarmingisreal.com/blog/2008/10/23/eviscerating-the-endangered-species-act-george-bush-doesnt-think-youre-looking-or-maybe-just-doesnt-care-anymore/ Even after taking away my obvious bias against the Bush administration, this is not the way the Department of Interior should have handled this. My dad worked in Interior for most of his career - including under Reagan/Watt - and never so anything like this. So I guess bureaucracies don't always act as methodically as they should, or in the best interest of their mandate. Anyway, thanks for the comments on this. Well, we'll just disagree about the process the EPA has taken under the leadership of Johnson. It is an enormously important issue, on that we do agree.

And yes, the nature of a bureaucracy is to move slowly and methodically. I am reminded of the recent case of the Dept. of Interior pushing through an important and substantive change in the Endangered Species Act – and example of a bureaucracy that didn't move so slowly or methodically…
http://www.globalwarmingisreal.com/blog/2008/10/23/eviscerating-the-endangered-species-act-george-bush-doesnt-think-youre-looking-or-maybe-just-doesnt-care-anymore/

Even after taking away my obvious bias against the Bush administration, this is not the way the Department of Interior should have handled this. My dad worked in Interior for most of his career – including under Reagan/Watt – and never so anything like this. So I guess bureaucracies don't always act as methodically as they should, or in the best interest of their mandate. Anyway, thanks for the comments on this.

]]> By: Thomas Schueneman http://www.globalwarmingisreal.com/blog/2008/12/23/carbon-emissions-not-a-factor-when-approving-coal-plants-epa-administrator-says/#comment-6540 Thomas Schueneman Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:46:05 +0000 http://www.globalwarmingisreal.com/blog/?p=1618#comment-6540 Thanks, jblethn. I want to respond to your latest, comment, but I gotta get offline and into the "real" world. Just wanted to make sure your comment was approved. I'll be back with a response. Thanks, jblethn. I want to respond to your latest, comment, but I gotta get offline and into the "real" world. Just wanted to make sure your comment was approved. I'll be back with a response.

]]> By: jblethen http://www.globalwarmingisreal.com/blog/2008/12/23/carbon-emissions-not-a-factor-when-approving-coal-plants-epa-administrator-says/#comment-6539 jblethen Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:39:20 +0000 http://www.globalwarmingisreal.com/blog/?p=1618#comment-6539 Bureaucracies are slow, always have been. They must by law take public comment before taking action, which is a good thing. But here the issue is much larger. If it is necessary to limit CO2 emissions (a proposition I don't subscribe to), then should a bureaucracy make the rules or should the people, through their elected representatives in Washington, make them via a cap-and-trade or carbon tax scheme. The public policy question is enormous. I think Congress should remove EPA's jurisdiction over greenhouse gasses and let the congressional debate begin. That is the way a democracy should handle this enormously important issue. Bureaucracies are slow, always have been. They must by law take public comment before taking action, which is a good thing. But here the issue is much larger. If it is necessary to limit CO2 emissions (a proposition I don't subscribe to), then should a bureaucracy make the rules or should the people, through their elected representatives in Washington, make them via a cap-and-trade or carbon tax scheme. The public policy question is enormous. I think Congress should remove EPA's jurisdiction over greenhouse gasses and let the congressional debate begin. That is the way a democracy should handle this enormously important issue.

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