In CJ’s Friday interview with Donna Martinez John Locke Foundation director of legal and regulatory studies Daren Bakst analyzes the EPA’s ‘creative’ interpretation of federal law that requires businesses that emit greenhouse gases to get a permit:
Martinez: Exactly what is the EPA trying to do?
Bakst: Well, they’re trying to force businesses that make greenhouse gases to get permits to do so. And what happened — if they comply with what’s called the Clean Air Act, and they actually follow the law, it would have led to absurd results to require businesses to get permits, because if you follow the law, it would require basically almost anybody — maybe even you, Donna — to get a permit …
Martinez: Uh-oh.
Bakst: …to actually emit CO2. That’s right — that’s how extreme it is.
On a related note, Progress Energy customers can start looking for their energy hog letters in the mail as part of its ‘behavior modification model.’
I wish all this was one big joke. Unfortunately, it’s not.
