A few good deeds from Kerry on environment these last few days.

In a Mar. 6 letter to EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson, Jeffords and Democrats Frank R. Lautenberg (NJ), Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), John F. Kerry (Mass.), and Russell D. Feingold (Wis.) said the proposed rule to exempt producers from the Clean Water Act's storm-water runoff regulations incorrectly interprets the 1987 Clean Water Act and congressional intent.

EPA issued the proposed rule on Jan. 6 to implement Section 323 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which added a paragraph to Section 502 of the Clean Water Act to define the term "oil and gas exploration, production, processing, or treatment, or transmission facilities."

Jeffords, chief minority member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and the five Democrats said the proposal goes beyond EPA's original plan.

March 2, 2006



Dr. Paula Dobriansky

Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs

U.S. Department of State

2201 C St., NW

Washington, DC 20520



Dear Dr. Dobriansky:



Thank you for your February 13, 2006, response to our letter of January 27, 2006, regarding statements made by yourself and Dr. Harlan Watson, the heads of the U.S. delegation, at the conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol in Montreal, Canada last December. Our letter raised concerns about the statements that you and Dr. Watson made during the meetings about U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases. While you and Dr. Watson stated that U.S. emissions were falling due to President Bush’s approach to climate change, emissions have actually risen 3.5% during the Bush Administration and now are at the highest levels ever reported.



Your central claim in response to our letter is that what really matters is “greenhouse gas intensity,” or the amount of emissions per unit of economic production, not greenhouse gas emissions. Yet it is actual emissions that are warming the earth. The atmosphere does not distinguish between emissions produced from more or less efficient economic activity. The United States remains the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, our emissions are increasing rapidly, and under this Administration, U.S. emissions have hit their highest level ever.



The credibility of the United States is under attack around the world, as nations doubt our claims ranging from weapons of mass destruction to treatment of detainees. Selective and misleading presentation of information on U.S. greenhouse gas emissions trends simply aggravates this mistrust. Unsubstantiated claims that the Administration’s voluntary climate programs have reduced U.S. emissions can only further undermine the United States’ credibility with the rest of the world.



As you continue to meet with representatives of other nations regarding climate change, we urge you to ensure that U.S. statements on this topic are always based on the most recent, credible, scientific information, and have solid analytical support.



Sincerely,

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