EPA Proposes Nation's First Emissions Standards for Power Plants

This is long over-due, no?

Earlier this week the EPA proposed the first national standards for the emissions of mercury and other pollutants from coal-burning power plants. This rule could lead to the early closing of a number of power plants (this is probably a good thing!).

My question is "why did this take so long?!"

As the EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson, put it "[t]oday's announcement is 20 years in the making..."

Boiler and incinerator regulations are so hot

In an attempt to reduce pollution from boiler and incinerator emissions, the U.S. EPA establishes new standards under the Clean Air Act.

These standards are set to cover more than 200,000 boilers and incinerators that emit harmful pollution including mercury, cadmium, and particle pollution.

Read more... 

Feds to propose FIRST EVER truck fuel efficiency rules

From the Associated Press: 

"Future tractor-trailers, school buses, delivery vans, garbage trucks and heavy-duty pickup trucks must do better at the pump under first-ever fuel efficiency rules coming from the Obama administration."

"The fleet of new cars, pickup trucks and SUVs will need to reach 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, and the government is developing plans for future vehicle models that could push the standards to 47 mpg to 62 mpg by 2025."

Is this good enough?

EPA & DOT: New Aggressive National Fuel Economy Standards Set for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks

It's about time that EPA/DOT did this, but we're they not aggressive enough? U.S. auto manufacturers should be able to do better than 34.1 mpg by 2016...

Siberian permafrost leaking methane

Methane is a greenhouse gas thirty times more potent than carbon dioxide.  Climate change is warming the arctic region and destabilizing the subsea Siberian permafrost that has held back massive methane deposits.

"The amount of methane currently coming out of the East Siberian Arctic Shelf is comparable to the amount coming out of the entire world’s oceans. Subsea permafrost is losing its ability to be an impermeable cap."

See the Mother Jones post.

California's Smog creates $193 Million Healthcare Bill

RAND - a non profit research group dedicated to public policy issues says that the air pollution in California is causing over $193 million in hospital based medical care each year. The medical costs are mostly related to respiratory illnesses such as asthma and pneumonia. Over two thirds of the costs are covered by government run medical programs like Medicare and Medi-Cal.

As future lawyers, what can we do about this problem?  Can we effect legislation?  Lobby for better regulation dealing with smog pollution?  Help eco-entrepreneurs get greener products on the market?  Or are we just left to pick up the pieces for those who have been injured due to air pollution? There are so many different contributors and factors to smog that it is hard to pinpoint an single resolution to the problem.  How else do you think we, as future lawyers, can positively contribute to reducing the impact of smog and other air pollutants?

Read more at Inhabitat.com.