• By AMY WOLD
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Feb 9, 2010 - Page: 4B

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Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting “in an obstructionist manner on climate change.”

The letter sent to Jindal’s office Feb. 2 is in response to letters the Governor’s Office and the secretaries of the state Economic Development, Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Natural Resources sent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency late last year.

Those letters outline opposition to EPA’s stated goal to come up with regulations to limit the release of greenhouse gases in response to concerns about global climate change.

Although no regulations have been proposed yet, EPA did announce an “endangerment finding” for greenhouse gases under the authority of the Clean Air Act.

That announcement showed EPA’s intention to start work on coming up with greenhouse gas regulations.

Jindal’s letter to EPA in December states that something with as much economic impact as regulating greenhouse gases should be decided through Congress and not through EPA making rules under the Clean Air Act.

“Changes this significant should at a minimum be vigorously and openly debated by Congress and should not be decided unilaterally by one government agency,” the letter said.

Garret Graves, director of the Governor’s Office of Coastal Activities, explained that the state highlighted a concern that greenhouse regulations should not be set by a federal agency, but instead should be done through Congress, he said.

“The Clean Air Act was never written to regulate greenhouse gases,” Graves said. “This is the position of our entire (congressional) delegation, both the Republicans and the Democrats.”

However, several signers of the environmental group letter said EPA does have the authority to regulate greenhouse gases

Marylee Orr, executive director of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network, said they disagree that Congress is the better way to go.

“I’m pleased EPA has taken that step. It’s their charge; it’s their duty,” Orr said.

She said the letter was written because of the group’s deep disappointment that Jindal and department heads took that position.