Here’s What Our Nation’s Leaders Are Saying About Regulating Carbon Dioxide (CO2) as a “Pollutant”

President George W. Bush

“As you know, I oppose the Kyoto Protocol… I do not believe…that the government should impose on power plants mandatory emissions reductions for carbon dioxide, which is not a ‘pollutant’ under the Clean Air Act. … [I]ncluding caps on carbon dioxide emissions as part of a multiple emissions strategy would lead to an even more dramatic shift from coal to natural gas for electric power generation and significantly higher electricity prices…” (Text of a letter from the President to Senators Hagel, Helms, Craig, and Roberts, March 13, 2001)

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Vice President Dick Cheney

“[W]e do not support the approach to the Kyoto treaty, we do not want to impose caps on power plants in terms of their carbon dioxide emissions…” (MSNBC’s “Hardball,” March 21, 2001)

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Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Todd Whitman

“The President has been clear that the Administration does not believe the government should impose mandatory carbon dioxide emissions reductions on power plants at a time when the cost of energy is soaring in this nation.” (EPA Press Release, March 16, 2001)

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Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham

“President Bush made the right decision last week not to impose new federal mandates on the emissions of carbon dioxide.” (Speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, March 19, 2001)

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