Senate Dem considering bill to delay EPA climate rules by one year

Brown has been discussing the idea of a one-year delay of EPA’s climate authority with his fellow lawmakers for months. But the issue is heating up in the 112th Congress, with EPA’s climate rules taking effect earlier this month and broader greenhouse gas standards on power plants and refineries slated for 2012.

In the Capitol on Thursday, Rockefeller told reporters that he does not believe a one-year delay is adequate. He said two years is needed to make enough progress on carbon capture and storage technologies. The technology is considered far away from any widespread commercial adoption, but Rockefeller said even waiting two years before regulating would help.

“It is to give that a chance to get going,” Rockefeller said, later adding that his goal is “to get the technology accepted in the marketplace sufficiently so it will begin to fund itself.”

Rockefeller plans to reintroduce his legislation early this year. Republicans, meanwhile, hope to permanently block EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, or delay it until a number of lawsuits on the issue work their way through the courts. On Thursday, dozens of House lawmakers introduced a bill to overturn EPA’s climate authority.

Ben Geman contributed.