"Tiny particles can pose big risks: Air pollutants can have same effect as living with smoker," is the headline to this story today in the Indianapolis Star. See also the July 1 Indiana Law Blog entry on fine particle (PM 2.5) designations.
The Chicago Tribune today has a story headlined "States take lead in clean air quest: Wetlands, wildlife damage prompting independent action." Some quotes:
Significantly, the state actions are bipartisan, with Republicans such as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pledging to uphold and defend the new standards and New York's Republican Gov. George Pataki committing his state to join California.[More]"As Battle for Beach Access Rages in New Jersey, Private Club Digs Its Heels Into Sand," is the headline to this interesting story today in the NY Times. A quote:In Massachusetts, Republican Gov. Mitt Romney recently unveiled a climate protection plan that would make the Bay State the first to evaluate carbon dioxide emissions before approving state construction and road projects.
Pataki also spearheaded the formation of an 11-state group in the Northeast that is developing its own cap-and-trade system for carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. The program would set a regional limit for how much carbon dioxide a plant could produce and allow emitters who produce less than allowed to trade credits with those that exceed the cap.
The plan, similar to a successful federal cap-and-trade system to curtail acid rain, is advancing in the wake of congressional failure to establish a national cap-and-trade program. * * *
Of course, not all states have eagerly embraced climate change initiatives.
In 1998 and 1999, 16 states, including Illinois, passed anti-Kyoto legislation. The Illinois law bars state agencies from adopting new rules to reduce greenhouse gas.
Yet the state last week joined 10 other states and 14 environmental and citizen groups in filing a legal brief that asserts that the Clean Air Act gives the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles.
The court's decision in May is the first major one in 20 years in New Jersey dealing with the public trust doctrine, a concept created centuries ago in Roman law that opened the ocean and tidal land to all for fishing and navigation.I was able to locate the NJ Court of Appeals opinion, RALEIGH AVENUE BEACH ASSOCIATION v. ATLANTIS BEACH CLUB, INC. (6/3/04). Access it here. Posted by Marcia Oddi at July 4, 2004 10:25 AM