Growing the EPA

Well, at least there might be some job creation by the Obama Administration.

In order to enforce the new draconian greenhouse gas laws (in which carbon, a gas that occurs natural in our atmosphere) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) might need to create more 230,000 new positions.  By-the-by, the EPA will also require an additional $31 billion in funding to enforce these new regulations.

Several left-wing media centers got their back up and tried to refute the EPA was going to hire 230,000 new workers. They failed. Nowhere in their articles do they touch on the point that while the EPA may not hold a massive “hiring day”, ignoring the point that the hiring will most likely occur over several years as the regulations take hold and enforcement becomes more prevalent.

Due to the complexity of enforcing what just might turn out to be the unenforceable, the EPA has asked the courts if the new regulations could be phased in using the “tailoring rule” According to an article at the “Daily Caller”, the tailoring rules cannot be applied to the Clean Air Act, under which the EPA has been granted permission to regulate this naturally occurring gas.

And even if the EPA manages to convince a court to make an exception, it seems committed to regulating everyone – at the full $21 billion cost – at some point down the road. “[T]he Tailoring Rule,” EPA writes in its brief, “is calculated to move toward eventual full compliance with the statutory threshold.” EPA adds that it intends to get there “as quickly as possible.” At present, the EPA is under a deadline to get it done by 2016. (Source: Daily Caller)

According to the brief filed by the EPA:

After considerable study and receipt of public comments, EPA determined that by phasing in the statutory thresholds, it could almost immediately achieve most of the emission benefits that would result from strict adherence to the literal 100/250 tpy threshold while avoiding the permit gridlock that unquestionably would result from the immediate application of that threshold. This phase-in process would also allow EPA time to develop streamlining measures that could eventually ease administration at the statutory thresholds. Thus, EPA promulgated the Tailoring Rule to phase in the applicability of these programs to GHG sources, starting with the largest GHG emitters. (Source EPA Brief) (Emphasis PACNW Righty)

See how in the brief they hedge their bets just a little with the phrase ‘that could eventually’? When was the last time anyone in the federal government, outside the military, had ever been able to streamline something? It is all about turf and who has the biggest. Streamlining means fewer people and smaller turf. You don’t think the 10 pound heads that are currently running the EPA aren’t thinking about increasing their turf? I have no doubt that the Obama’s cronies at the EPA are thinking “we now have 17,000 employees, imagine the control we could have if we had 247,000 employees.” Outside of the military that would make them the largest government agency. An employee base that large would make them nearly uncontrollable. Think for a minute: you are enjoying your Saturday evening cookout and suddenly out of your rose bushes pops the EPA Carbon Regulation Enforcement and Engagement Patrol (CREEP). That has to send a thrill up the leg of some current EPA administrators.