You can’t make this crap up. KERA Dallas reports (with audio!):
Texas is the only state that has refused to establish a greenhouse gas permit process….
[Texas AG Greg] Abbott: “Congress did not authorize the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases. One of the key greenhouse gases the EPA is regulating is carbon dioxide. It is almost the height of insanity of bureaucracy to have the EPA regulating something that is emitted by all living things.”
So the EPA shouldn’t regulate the discharge from living things. I guess the Texas AG just wants crap all over the place. Literally. [Insert your joke about sewage treatment here.]
Of course, the carbon dioxide emissions from living things don’t throw the carbon-cycle horribly out of balance — industrial emission do (see “Humans boosting CO2 14,000 times faster than nature, overwhelming slow negative feedbacks“).
The science has become increasingly clear that unrestricted emissions of CO2 from fossil fuel combustion poses the gravest of threats to human health and well-being (see “A stunning year in climate science reveals that human civilization is on the precipice” and “Science stunner: On our current emissions path, CO2 levels in 2100 will hit levels last seen when the Earth was 29°F (16°C) hotter“). And such emissions directly poison the ocean (see “Geological Society: Acidifying oceans spell marine biological meltdown “by end of century”).
Thankfully, the U.S. Supreme Court understands that:
EPA Regional Director Al Armendariz says the EPA has a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on its side.
Armendariz: “As a direct result of the Supreme Court decision in Massachusetts vs. the EPA, greenhouse gases are federally regulated pollutants. Any major source of greenhouse gas emissions that undergoes new construction or major modifications is going to need authorization and permits under the Clean Air Act.”
Armendariz says Texas leads the nation in carbon dioxide emissions. He says there are 167 businesses that would be affected by the new greenhouse gas permits.
William Shatner will play the part of Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott in the TV version of the Texas farce.
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So they don’t regulate sewerage in Texas? Eeeeuuugh (pinches nose).
Where I live, making sure stuff that people ‘emit’ meets regulations is a higher priority than providing people with electricity:
From The Age, 16 January 2011:
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/weather/premier-promises-to-get-services-working-in-flood-towns-20110116-19sae.html
Isn’t it in fact quiet easy to challenge Mr Abbot on his national security concerning claims? Further why not ask him to go back so school (literally) to learn the science about Co2, i.e. read about heat trapping gases.
If he refuses to take back his ill advised “made up” claims i would sue him, or whatever.
Strong joke. Living thing emissions free…
We know humour is coming from that…
Abbott: suffers a bout of verbal vomit. Must be regulated with heavy doses of Prozak. EPA on call.
John McCormick
Whatever could be the context of the Texas AGs assertion that his state should have had three years to propose a plan, and go through public comment before finalizing a plan?
That sounds like he wants a NEPA process, more familiar for regionally specific environmental problems, such as a contaminated lake. GHGs don’t stay local, so matching policy development up to a geographic area doesn’t work so well. Note of course that the mismatch between source and consequences doesn’t stop nation states from wanting adjusted limits on their GHG emissions! But then, Texans have occasionally joked about acting like a nation. In contrast, New York State is part of several programs, such as the ten-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The idea of a solo single-state policy is nonsense.
There is some libertarian appeal in calling carbon dioxide regulation an “insanity,” “regulating something that is emitted by all living things.”
Yeah, who wants the basics of life regulated. Not me either, but we could point out that the carbon dioxide regulation is for emissions from combustion of DEAD things like coal, oil, and gas. Herd flatulence isn’t on the EPA’s priority list.
In contrast, Texas vigorously regulates water supply. If the AG gives up Texas’s claims to Rio Grande water, so as to have a more consistent stand on non-regulation of something emitted by all living things, I’ll eat my hat, as the cowboys used to say.
Small matter, but EPA regulation of carbon dioxide is for CO2 emissions from combustion of long DEAD material, not for emissions of CO2 from living things.
PS I have had two posts fail to submit correctly. I wonder why. The content was not abusive. If my email address has been co-opted, I’d like feedback.
[JR: Just random. Spam filter catches odd things.]
Greg Abbott’s comment begs for a scatological retort. But I’ll refrain.
I will observe that there’s a condition which will permit the people of Texas to live without regulating their “emissions.” They merely have to reduce their population to a low enough number (TBD), and disperse widely.
Well, on the plus side he did not claim that his God has promised not to destroy the world again!
I got no problem with their complaint – just as long as they keep everything inside Texas.
So their slogan needs updating?
“Don’t mess with Texas … shit on it!”
“ . . . regulating something that is emitted by all living things.”
Hmm, I didn’t realize that CO2 was emitted by bacteria, plants and plankton.
In response, we know that water is essential for life. But drinking too much will kill contestants, recruits, endurance athletes and infants whose forumula is out-of-balance.
Is spewing CO2 14,000 times faster than natural considered ‘out-of-balance’?
Clearly not in a Texas State of Mind.
…Living so high
…Rolling along
…Times like these
…How we gonna make it?
It’s impossible to parody the Teabaggers now. I had a ‘debate’ with one a few days ago – I said that we needed to “decarbonise society”. He thought I meant remove *all* carbon and went in to hysterics about what things contain carbon. Subsequent attempts to explain it meant removing CO2, CH4, etc. fell on stony ground. There’s now a wingnut out there who thinks teh socialists want to take away all the precious carbon!
Of course the horror of it all is that your vaunted ‘democracy’ has devolved to such a state that HL Mencken’s ‘downright morons’ are everywhere and in power. The only question with this creature is whether he is really this thick, or if, possibly, he is truly cynical, knows this is rubbish, but is appealing to the morons. This, of course, is ‘democracy’s’ Achilles heel. No matter how stupid, ignorant or vicious, every buffoon has the same vote as his or her better. And when the imbeciles are on the march, when they are organised and brainwashed by millions of the ruling caste’s loose change, they become a tremendous force for ill. Believe me, the situation is exactly the same in Australia, with our unprecedented floods being twisted into an excuse to abuse and vilify environmentalists, with Murdoch’s apparatus leading the way, as ever. Say what you like about the Chinese system, but at least it is a meritocracy, not a mediocracy, and it throws up leaders who can read scientific reports and understand them.
Breaking news from Dallas via chemical industry newswire, in turn citing AP.
EPA is promising no permit process delays, following a judge’s ruling that after Texas refused to comply,the EPA can give out permits directly.
http://www.chem.info/News/2011/01/Environmental-Controls-EPA-Says-TX-Plants-Wont-See-Permit-Delays/
Poo…. but it’s plant food.
Teh soshalisses wanna take away teh last pleasure left for meh.
I’ll send sumfin over in a paper bag, tat’ll show ‘em.
Next thing you know they regulate sweat.
Texas cattlemen defended selling hamburger to the school lunch program which in fact had cow crap in it. And remember the dust up with Oprah? She won too.
If you want to know what living in one’s own wastes does, don’t change or clean your aquarium for a few weeks.
[JR: You been watching "Finding Nemo" again?]
Good news. Texas has a large installed base of wind and an opportunity for more. Additional transmission lines are being financed. There are very good solar sites available too.
BUT
Having been a past Texas resident and likely a future one as well I want to comment on the flip side of the less CO2 scenario. From the State’s point of view their support of the Chemical industry is paramount. Petrochemicals rule the State’s economy. Power is necessary to refine oil and gas. Electricity from fossil fuels is a no-brainer. Change is hard and forestalling change provides continued revenues and political clout. Texans have always been braggarts and libertarians; especially when there is advantage to press or disadvantage to avoid. What fossil fuel based portion of the economy would not attempt to avoid regulation of it’s primary waste product. To finish the flip side of the equation I point out that there is not currently a system in place to provide power alternatives in the current or future quantities necessary to meet minimum energy requirements. No other state in the US is currently as industrialized as Texas. The petrochemical industry rules. The State of Texas is gonna bitch and moan louder than any other.
I am still looking for that solar installation package that I can finance to power my house that makes short term as well as long term financial sense. I am involved with a business in Texas that currently has a solar array on the building which provides the power to pay the electrical bill…mostly. Few other locations in the vicinity have the correct roof exposure free of vegetation blockage to allow an array to be financially feasible. AC is costly and the place is uninhabitable 5 months of the year without it.
I think it took 50 years to fully install the initial power grid. The petrochemical industry is really concerned about not having enough energy available to power the complex. Lets get the non-fossil fuel base installed pronto so we can move beyond this concern.
Not to mention regulating all the mercury from coal-fired power plants in Texas that burn lignite…
Speaking of CO2 emissions, Texas has the highest levels in country, about 50% higher than California:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads/CO2FFC_2007.pdf
Much of that excess comes from industrial sector, namely the refineries.
Another sewage joke:
The creator must have had a sense of humor when she designed humans — because she put a recreational area right next to a sewage disposal area.
Check this out Stuff Happens
Krugman reads Climate Progress. Good!
directions on how to get to texas: go west till you smell (crap). you’re in oklahoma. then go south till you step in it. you’re in texas.