| Within the past couple years, several
| |
| | under the Clean Air Act and they have a
|
| states and organizations have filed toxic
| |
| | responsibility to regulate it via cleaner
|
| gas lawsuits against the US Environmental
| |
| | burning cars.
|
| Protection Agency (EPA). The central
| |
| | The Bush Administration and the EPA tried
|
| argument centers on the interpretation of
| |
| | to argue that carbon emissions were
|
| the 1970 Clean Air Act, how to define and
| |
| | beyond the control of the EPA as outlined
|
| regulate "air pollutants", and if it is
| |
| | in the Clean Air Act. The section of the
|
| the responsibility of the EPA to do so.
| |
| | Clean Air Act under debate was the
|
| The first of these lawsuits was filed
| |
| | wording that it is the responsibility of
|
| back in 2005 in the D.C District Court of
| |
| | the EPA administrator to set emission
|
| Appeals by groups such as the Sierra Club
| |
| | standards for "any air pollutant" from
|
| and the Environmental Integrity Project.
| |
| | motor vehicles which in his/her judgment
|
| The toxic gases under question in this
| |
| | contributes to air pollution and affects
|
| lawsuit were the harmful pollutants
| |
| | public health/welfare.
|
| emitted from concentrated animal feeding
| |
| | The Administrations approach for
|
| operations which include ammonia gas,
| |
| | emissions was the same as with the
|
| hydrogen sulfide, and fine dust
| |
| | concentrated animal feeding operations:
|
| particles. The plaintiffs argue that
| |
| | do nothing and let the major auto
|
| these feeding operations are not like
| |
| | companies work amongst themselves to find
|
| traditional family farms of the past, but
| |
| | a solution to the carbon dioxide problem.
|
| are instead very large corporate run
| |
| | The EPA administrator also debated
|
| operations which pack large numbers of
| |
| | whether man made carbon dioxide emissions
|
| animals into very small spaces.
| |
| | was the real cause of global warming,
|
| The result is the emission of these toxic
| |
| | despite existing scientific evidence
|
| gases in large quantities into the
| |
| | which already supports this theory. This
|
| environment on a yearly basis which have
| |
| | lawsuit was debated by lower courts
|
| all been linked to causing respiratory
| |
| | trying to decide if the plaintiffs had
|
| illness. In its defense, the EPA claims
| |
| | legal standing, and although the District
|
| that it is working with the Bush
| |
| | of Columbia Circuit Court ruled in favor
|
| Administration as part of the sweetheart
| |
| | of the EPA the case was eventually
|
| deal to monitor the progress of these
| |
| | brought before the Supreme Court.
|
| concentrated animal feeding operations to
| |
| | According to the Supreme Court ruling it
|
| clean up their acts on their own over a
| |
| | was decided that the plaintiffs had a
|
| number of years.
| |
| | valid case, and that under the Clean Air
|
| This wait and see approach is what led to
| |
| | Act carbon dioxide was an air pollutant
|
| the next set of toxic gas lawsuits filed
| |
| | of public health concern.
|
| against the EPA, although this time the
| |
| | The EPA is now obligated to begin
|
| issue was emissions gas and global
| |
| | limiting tailpipe emissions beginning
|
| warming. This most recent lawsuit was
| |
| | with the 2009 model year. Part of this
|
| filed towards the end of 2006 and names
| |
| | process will be reducing the escape of
|
| California, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania,
| |
| | toxic gases from fuel cans by creating a
|
| Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode
| |
| | tighter seal on the lids. Automakers will
|
| Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, New
| |
| | also be restricted to the amount of
|
| York, Washington, Vermont, and Oregon, as
| |
| | benzene added to gasoline to ensure
|
| well as Baltimore, the District of
| |
| | proper engine combustion. Benzene is a
|
| Columbia, and the Sierra Club as
| |
| | carcinogen linked to anemia and reduced
|
| plaintiffs.
| |
| | blood cell counts, and the new measures
|
| The argument is whether or not carbon
| |
| | taking place by 2011 ensure that
|
| dioxide is considered an air pollutant
| |
| | automakers are taking positive steps to
|
| leading to global warming, and if the EPA
| |
| | make their vehicles more environmentally
|
| should be doing more to regulate carbon
| |
| | friendly.
|
| dioxide emissions. The plaintiff's case
| |
| | It is expected to take until 2030 for
|
| is that carbon dioxide must be considered
| |
| | full compliance on the new measures to
|
| an air pollutant since it has been
| |
| | take effect, but the EPA feels that these
|
| scientifically proven to be the principal
| |
| | stricter standards will lead to billions
|
| greenhouse gas affecting global warming.
| |
| | of dollars in health care savings and
|
| They feel that this definition of carbon
| |
| | reduced toxic gas emissions by over
|
| dioxide as a threat to public safety puts
| |
| | 300,000 tons.
|
| it within the jurisdiction of the EPA
| |
| |
|
