Key Resources

EPA Regulation of Greenhouse Gases is Good For Labor

With the collapse of climate protection legislation in Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency, acting under a mandate from the US Supreme Court, is stepping in to regulate the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change.  At the end of 2009 it issued an “endangerment finding” that greenhouse gases in the atmosphere “threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations.” New regulations are scheduled to go into effect early in 2011.

While American labor unions have been heavily involved in the discussion of climate legislation and green jobs, since the defeat of climate legislation few have publicly raised their voices yet on EPA regulation of greenhouse gasses.  Here are five reasons they should support it.

Backgrounder on Labor, Climate and the EPA

With the collapse of climate protection legislation in Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency is stepping in to regulate the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change.  While American labor unions have been heavily involved in the discussion of climate legislation and green jobs, they have had little chance to think through the issues raised by EPA regulation.  This backgrounder presents facts and defines questions that can contribute to their consideration.

[For more of LNS’s work on the EPA click here.]