Obama vows veto of House bill to kill EPA greenhouse gas rules

The White House is reiterating its threat to veto legislation slated to pass the House on Wednesday that would strip the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

“If the President is presented with this legislation, which would seriously roll back the CAA [Clean Air Act] authority, harm Americans’ health by taking away our ability to decrease carbon pollution, and undercut fuel efficiency standards that will save Americans money at the pump while decreasing our dependence on oil, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill,” states the formal “Statement of Administration Policy” released Tuesday.

{mosads}The bill, which is sponsored by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), is expected to pass the House but faces huge Senate hurdles in addition to the veto threat.

Republicans who claim the EPA rules will hinder the economy have made undermining regulation of power plants, refineries and other industrial greenhouse gas sources a pillar of their wider battle against White House environmental policies.