Letters, Just For Show?
Sen. Jay Rockefeller and several other coal state Democrats sent a letter to EPA's Lisa Jackson dated February 19, expressing concern regarding the economic impact of GHG regulation. Jackson responded on February 22, stating no permits would be required in 2010 and detailing an aggressive "Five Year Plan" for regulating CO2 sources. The same day, Sen. Rockefeller issued a press release saying the Plan was "good progress" but that he remained "concerned" and that Congress needed to "set in stone through legislation enough time" to consider a "comprehensive energy bill" (the new euphemism for legislative GHG controls via cap and trade).
Was this all just political kabuki, choreographed to fog the optics and 
protect exposed Democrats from "cap and tax" backlash in the November elections? And what should be made of a statement by an environmental group operative, about a week before Jackson's letter was issued, revealing the Five Year Plan? Well, it could be the Rockefeller - Jackson letters likely were "worked out" by both parties ahead of time. This would explain why EPA responded as quickly as it did. Also, the White House makes EPA policy and the White House is working hand in glove with the environmental special interests. Therefore, it should not surprise anyone that EPA's Plan was "put out there" by one of these groups - in fact, they likely helped write that Plan in the first place.
Or so some people say.
