At ease, Americans, your government is resting easy on global warming

It is going to be announced today (Friday, when the news cycle goes into snooze control) that the Environmental Procrastination Agency will take no further action on auto emissions or greenhouse gases during the George W. reign. In fact, they will seek much more comment and public input in order to completely study the possible effects of global warming on public health. They will make no ruling.

Fifteen months ago, the US Supreme Court ordered the EPA to decide whether greenhouse gases from auto emissions are a danger to public health. Of course, having no police force or army of its own the Supreme Court has no way to enforce its rulings that run counter to the desires and political intentions of the administration in power. So the final score on this one: EPA 15, SCOTUS 0. No surprise, we can all surmise that on this issue Dick Cheney has a hell of a lot more power than nine guys in long black robes.

ATTITUDE?

You wonder where the EPA gets its attitude? Well, their ultimate boss, President George W told the G8 summiteers in Japan, as he left his final big summit, "Farewell from the world's largest polluter." I think the President was speaking proudly for all of us Americans.

Not sure the President was right, even on this fine point. There is significant evidence that China leads the world in one serious pollutant: CO2. The US, however, does have a lock onthe newest greenhouse gas to cause a panic: NF3. And it may be far worse than CO2 so the President may well be right. We are #1.