Lawsuit Filed Against Federal Agency By Environmental Coalition

A lawsuit has been filed by a coalition of environmental groups against the U.S. EPA claiming the agency has not addressed greenhouse gas emissions coming from airplanes, ocean-going ships, non-road vehicle engines, and industrial engines.

The suit was filed in federal district court in Washington, DC by Earthjustice and the Western Environmental Law Center on behalf of five additional groups late last week.

The blog FavStocks reports that the coalition claims that the four classes of engines account for nearly a quarter of all U.S. mobile greenhouse gas emissions, and is projected to grow rapidly.

On Thursday, the U.S. Senate confirmed the EPA's jurisdiction over greenhouse gas regulations by voting down Senator Lisa Murkowski's (R-AK) "disapproval resolution," which would have stopped EPA's regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.

The coalition had first petitioned the EPA in 2007 to look at the emissions from ocean-going ships, airplanes, and other sources. It says EPA has not responded to those petitions, hence the suit.

FMI: www.epa.gov