Bush Finally Opens EPA Email, then Edits It.

You may recall the long, sad drama that has unfolded since the Supreme Court ordered the EPA to study the effects of greenhouse gases in April of 2007 (you can read about it HERE). After the EPA finally caved and completed the study, they emailed it to the White House where it sat in the President's inbox while he and his staff ignored it.

In order for the study to be made public, the White House has to approve it and that is where the new chapter in this story has begun.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the EPA's study shows that greenhouse gases and global warming are a threat to public welfare. This conclusion would allow the EPA to regulate carbon emissions via the Clean Air Act. The study also says that automobiles could be made vastly more fuel efficient in much less time than the current policy requires. Finally, the study reveals that regulating greenhouse gases could generate a net benefit of $2 trillion for society, which conflicts with Bush's argument that regulating these emissions would negatively impact our economy.

Now, the Bush administration is asking the EPA to delete the majority of the study's findings before it can be made public. Specifically, they would like the portion linking greenhouse gases and negative public welfare, as well as the portion showing positive economic benefit, taken out. This is despite the fact that the Supreme Court clearly wanted these types of facts included in the final results of the study. No progress has been made since the administration made their requests.

It is impossible to know what new twist lies ahead in this complicated story. The most likely outcome is six months of stonewalling by the White House until someone else has to step-up and make the tough decisions. This has been their global warming policy since 2000.

To read the Wall Street Journal story on the EPA's study, click HERE (paid subscription required).