EPA: Recession's no reason to roll back protections -- Jackson(01/30/2009)
Lauren Morello, E&E reporter
NEW YORK -- The global economic crisis is no excuse for relaxing environmental protections, U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said today in her first public speech since taking the job.
"On Monday, in the middle of all that was going on with the economy ... the president was forceful that EPA should do an event on climate change on my first day in office," Jackson said of President Barack Obama's launch of his administration's global warming agenda with a White House ceremony this week.
"We have an answer for people who want to scare us from backing off of strong environmental protections."
Addressing an environmental justice conference at FordhamLawSchool, Jackson said efforts to protect the environment can also boost the economy.
"Every time you see pollution controls going up or Superfund cleanups going on, those are jobs," Jackson said, touting money for clean water and renewable energy programs included in Obama's $820 billion economic stimulus package. The House passed its stimulus bill Wednesday in a 244-188 party-line vote.
Jackson offered few specifics about some of the biggest decisions facing EPA, including how soon the agency might issue an "endangerment finding" that examines the links between climate change and increased risks to public health and welfare -- a process mandated by the Supreme Court's 2007 Massachusetts v. EPA decision.
An EPA judgment that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare could kick-start new global warming regulations at the same time Congress is moving to pass climate legislation.
"These two discussions will inform each other," Jackson said. "It won't just be EPA. And it will lead to what I think is important -- a program, regulatory or legislative, that is based on sound science, what science says we must do to address climate change."
Jackson said her goal was for U.S. climate policy "to hold up to the scrutiny of lawsuits and court decisions, so everyone -- especially business and industry -- have a clear road map for where we're going to go."
