House Passes Spending Bill: Slashes EPA Funding, Authority to Regulate GHGs

On February 19, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the spending bill H.R. 1 , intended to continue funding the federal government until September 30, 2011, which included amendments to limit the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gases (GHGs) and prohibit several programs from spending funds on climate change. Among the $61.5 billion in overall spending cuts, the climate change-related amendments that were adopted by the House include: an amendment by Reps. Ted Poe (R-TX), Joe Barton (R-TX), and John Carter (R-TX) that defines specifically what GHGs are and prohibits the EPA from imposing regulations on those gases emitted by a stationary source for seven months; an amendment by Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX) that would prohibit funds for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Service; an amendment by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) that would prohibit the use of funds for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); and an amendment by Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) to prohibit the use of federal funds for President Obama’s climate change “czar”. Called a Continuing Resolution (CR), the bill now heads to the Senate. The existing CR expires March 4, 2011.

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