Up in the Air

By Bill Polits

On Thursday the US Senate will vote on a bill put forth by Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) to quash the authority of the US Environmental Protection Agency to limit greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act - rules which the EPA unveiled on the eve of the Copehagen Conference last December.

It is unclear if the bill is poised to receive the votes it needs to pass  but it will face stiff opposition in the House and Obama has promised a veto of any such law that reaches his desk.

Nevertheless, it is an important development that the vote will take place as the battle lines are being drawn for the debate surrounding Senate climate legislation heating up for this summer.

We will be watching the result closely as the outcome may have a bearing on the the of success of Senate legislation to limit the HFCs used in fire suppression.