MEDIA STATEMENT: WRI Response to EPA Pollution Permitting Guidance

Franz Litz

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released pollution permitting guidance for state and local environmental agencies, detailing how to apply Best Available Control Technology (BACT) requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from large new polluters. EPA is acting to fulfill its obligations under the Clean Air Act, as charged by Congress and reinforced by the Supreme Court decision Massachusetts v. EPA (2007).

Following is a statement by Franz Litz, Senior Fellow, World Resources Institute:

“The guidance document is an important milestone in EPA’s effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It provides state and local agencies options and assistance for making the country’s largest power plants and industrial facilities more efficient and less polluting.

“The guidance document will be used to help permit a fairly small number of very large projects. For the first six months of 2011, no new permits will be required for projects unless required for non-global warming pollution reasons. In the second permitting stage, beginning in July 2011, only the largest greenhouse gas emitters will trigger permitting requirements, while small businesses and farms remain unaffected.

“This approach shows that EPA is taking a measured and reasoned approach to meeting its legal obligation to reduce greenhouse gas pollution.”

For more on EPA, greenhouse gas emissions and the U.S. economy, please see WRI’s blogs:

EPA, The Clean Air Act, and U.S. Manufacturing, and

What Are Limits on EPA? Clean Air Act Holds Answers