OPINION/COMMENTARY

Clear Foolishness

Almost since President Bush took office, his administration has been trying to pass environmental legislation known as Clear Skies. Clear Skies would have required large reductions in air pollution from coal-fired power plants, but in exchange would also have removed them from a Clean Air Act requirement known as New Source Review, which is sacred to environmentalists and environmental enforcement officials. Clear Skies now appears to have finished dying its slow death in Congress, but EPA has just implemented the Clear Skies pollution caps through regulations known as the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR). Though a boon to regulators and activists, the big losers from these regulations will be the American public, who will have to pay big bucks for them in the form of higher energy bills, while reaping few or no health benefits....

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