Comment on Developing a Comprehensive Approach to Climate Change Mitigation Policy in the United States: Integrating Levels of Government and Economic Sectors

• Date: 01 August 2009

8-2009 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND POLICY ANNUAL REVIEW 39 ELR 10723

Comment on Developing a

Comprehensive Approach to Climate

Change Mitigation Policy in the

United States: Integrating Levels of

Government and Economic Sectors

by Robert D. Brenner and Anna Marie Wood

Robert D. Brenner is the Director of the Oce of Policy Analysis and Review (OPAR) in the Oce of Air and Radiation at

the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Anna Marie Wood is a Senior Policy Analyst in OPAR at EPA.

In the article Developing a Comprehensive Approach to

       

      ,1

Peterson, McKinstry, and Dernbach2 demonstrate the

1. omas D. Peterson et al., Developing a Comprehensive Approach to Climate

 

and Economic Sectors, 39 ELR (E L.  P’ A. R.) 10711 (Aug.

2009) (a longer version of this Article was originally published at 26 V. E-

. L.J. 227 (2008)).

2. Peterson, McKinstry & Dernbach are collectively referred to as “the authors”

in this Comment.

importance of a comprehensive approach to climate change

policy in the United States. e article notes that climate

change legislation proposed thus far fails to integrate state

and local climate change programs with national a nd inter-

national eorts. e authors also assert that the proposals

do not ensure integration across all economic sectors of the

full range of mea sures and programs needed to achieve sig-

nicant greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions. e authors sug-

gest that, either through federal legislation or rulemaking,

a comprehensive approach should be established to address

governance issues and signal an eective commitment by the

United States to address climate change.

e authors propose an approach to address this short-

coming using a combination of elements under t he Clean

Air Act (CAA),3 the most signicant of which include: (1)

the establishment of a national ambient air quality standard

(NAAQS) for greenhouse gasses with short, intermediate

and long term reduction goa ls implemented t hrough state

implementation plans (SIPs); (2) national and regional per-

formance or technology based standards and cap-and-trade

programs for some sectors; and (3) SIPs that include mea-

sures necessary to achieve additional GHG reductions.

Between the time the authors wrote their article a nd the

publication of this comment, much has changed in a rela-

tively short time period. In July, EPA issued an advanced

notice of proposed rulemaking concerning the reg ulation

of greenhouse gas emissions under the CAA (ANPR).4 e

ANPR examined and solicited public comment on the CAA

provisions that could be used to reduce emissions of GHGs,

and the interconnection among these authorities. en, in

3. 42 U.S.C. §§7401-7671q, ELR S. CAA §§101-618.

4. Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions Under the Clean Air Act, 73 Fed. Reg.

44354 (July 30, 2008).

Robert D. Brenner played a key role in the development, congressional

         



on innovative, cost-efect ways to implement its provisions, particularly

   

and other economic incentives. He has been a leader in EPA’s eforts

     

          

 

  

 

International Afairs.

 

    

programs under the Clean Air Act. Prior to joining EPA, Ms. Wood



        

       

    

       



          



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