Consideration of a Resolution in Support of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Pollution Under the Clean Air Act. City of Culver City California Agenda Item Report Meeting Date: 10/22/12 Item Number: A 2 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of a Resolution in Support of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Pollution Under the Clean Air Act. Contact Person/Dept.: Helen Kerstein/PW Fiscal Impact: Yes No X Public Hearing: Commission Action Required: Yes No X Date: _______________ Public Notification: (E Mail) Agenda and Meetings City Council (10/18/12) Department Approval: Charles D. Herbertson (09/10/12) Chief Financial Officer Approval: Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (10/17/12) City Attorney Approval: Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (10/15/12) City Manager Approval: John Nachbar (10/17/12) General Fund: Yes No X Attachments: X Phone Number: (310) 253 5618 Action Item: RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council consider sending a Resolution in Support of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Pollution Under to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and President Barack Obama. BACKGROUND: the Clean Air Act (CAA) The CAA is a federal law that charges the EPA with regulating air pollution. Under the CAA the EPA sets limits on the emission of a broad range of pollutants from both mobile and stationary sources in order to promote public health and environmental protection. Over the last decade there has been debate regarding the appropriateness of regulating greenhouse gases under the CAA. In 2003 the EPA took the position that it did not have authority under the CAA to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases for climate change purposes. In 2007 the Supreme Court disagreed ruling in Massachusetts vs. EPA that greenhouse gases are air pollutants and fall under the EPA s regulatory authority. Following this ruling the EPA worked to issue rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions but has faced additional lawsuits. Within this context the Center for Biological Diversity s ...
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