EPA May Soften Greenhouse Gas Permit Requirement

EPA May Soften Greenhouse Gas Permit Requirement

Timothy Gardner

PlanetArk

23 February 2010

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Monday it was considering reducing the number of big industrial plants that would be required to get permits to fight climate change.

In September, the EPA said it would require large facilities, like coal plants and refineries, emitting more than 25,000 tons a year of greenhouse gases to obtain permits demonstrating they were using the best technology available to reduce emissions blamed for warming the planet.

"EPA is considering raising that threshold substantially to reflect input provided during the public comment process," the agency said in a release.