HISTORIC VOTE IN U.S. SENATE ON JUNE 10, 2010
The U.S. Senate upheld a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on April 2, 2007
Massachusetts v. EPA, 549 U.S. 497
http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/06pdf/05-1120.pdf
The June 10, 2010, historic U.S. Senate 53-47 vote upholds the right of the EPA to regulate all greenhouse gases. This vote renders obsolete the Kerry/Lieberman Climate Draft Legislation because the EPA can start today regulating and reducing greenhouse gases to protect the environment. Polluters may now be fined for not curbing greenhouse gases and the fines can be used to support clean energy alternatives and new technology for polluting industries.
This vote, supported by the Obama administration, sets an example for the entire world to follow and demonstrates that the United States will be leading the world in reducing greenhouse gases.
(This vote renders Senators Kerry & Lieberman’s climate bill obsolete because their draft bill allows no Reductions in Greenhouse Gases until 2017, and allows polluters to purchase offsets so that they can keep polluting, at current or higher levels, for many years without any reductions.)
Senator Barbara Boxer deserves tremendous credit for this historical vote and in taking action to lead the nation in reducing greenhouse gases in 2010. And she sets an example, along with President Obama, for the entire world on how to reduce greenhouse gas and other pollution emissions.
This victory for the people of the United States will start our country on the path of reducing greenhouse gases and will demonstrate to the rest of the world that we are serious about starting immediately down this path. Now we have the leverage to pressure other countries into taking this same action…to protect our environment. This was a historic victory for the people, the Earth, and the quality of our lives.