EPA Seeks to Reduce Greenhouse Gases

WASHINGTON (CN) - The Environmental Protection Agency announced plans Wednesday to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the nation's largest power plants.

EPA administrator Lisa Jackson said the new proposal would affect about 14,000 large sources of carbon dioxide by requiring permits for facilities emitting at least 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year. Such plants would have to show that they are using best available technologies to minimize the release of greenhouse gases.

Calling it a "common-sense rule," Jackson said the new threshold is 100 times higher than required for other pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

Those opposed to the proposal say the EPA lacks authority to use the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases, which are blamed for global warming.

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