Working to fight EPA overreach, Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., said he is supporting a resolution of disapproval to be introduced by Sen. Lisa Murkowski which will act as a veto of EPA regulation of greenhouse gasses under the Clean Air Act.

“Controlling the levels of carbon emissions is the job of Congress. We don’t need EPA looking over Congress’ shoulder telling us we’re not moving fast enough,” Nelson said.

Nelson said he is very concerned about the impact on Nebraska if EPA moves to regulate carbon emissions.

“Many Nebraska agricultural, industrial and energy-related businesses and organizations have warned about the costs they would have to shoulder from EPA regulations,” he said. “Because EPA regulations would be a government-directed command-and-control regime, they would raise the price of energy in Nebraska, add greatly to administrative costs, and create new layers of bureaucracy. The burden would fall squarely on Nebraska families, farmers and businesses.”

Nelson said carbon emissions should be reduced, but not through costly and complicated EPA regulations or a disadvantageous cap and trade proposal in Congress.

“They should be reduced through a comprehensive energy bill that promotes efficiencies and renewable energy through innovation and new technology that will help our state’s economy as we clean up the air,” he said.

Nelson was among more than three dozen senators, including Sen. Mike Johanns, cosponsoring the Murkowski resolution. The legislation is supported by many groups in Nebraska including: Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation, Nebraska Cattlemen, Nebraska Corn Growers Association, Nebraska Dry Bean Growers Association, Nebraska Soybean Association, Nebraska Wheat Board, Nebraska Wheat Growers Association, Nebraska Public Power District, Omaha Public Power District, Nebraska Rural Electric Association, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, and MidAmerican Energy.

Nelson decision to support fighting EPA efforts under the Clean Air Act was criticized by Justin Huck, Repower Nebraska State Director.

“For decades, the Clean Air Act has been a public policy and public health success story; Senator Nelson wants to throw all of that away in favor of a misguided resolution that was written by lobbyists for some of the country’s biggest polluters,” Huck said.

Huck said that the Dirty Air Act would “roll back the clock on decades of progress reducing pollution, putting polluters in control of America’s clean energy future.”

Instead of looking for ways to delay action, Senator Nelson should commit to comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation that will create thousands of jobs for Nebraska residents, decrease pollution, and help end our dependence on foreign oil, making our nation more secure,” he said.