Three Democratic 2020 presidential hopefuls gave a preview of how aggressive they will push global warming policies on the campaign trail during the confirmation hearing for Andrew Wheeler, President Donald Trump’s pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, sparred with Wheeler, the current EPA acting administrator, over the urgency of global warming and rolling back Obama-era regulations.
“You are the nominee to be head of the Environmental Protection Agency and you just in your opening statement did not mention the word climate change,” Sanders said during the Wednesday hearing.
Exchange between @SenSanders and EPA Administrator Nominee Andrew Wheeler: "You are the nominee to be head of the Environmental Protection Agency and you just in your opening statement did not mention the word #climatechange." pic.twitter.com/bWacTs1jcq
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 16, 2019
“If there is not unprecedented action,” Sanders said, “there will be irreparable damage … Do you agree?”
“I would not call it the greatest crisis, no sir. I consider it a huge issue that has to be addressed globally,” Wheeler responded.
Sanders has not officially announced he will run for president in 2020, but it’s widely speculated he will throw his hat in the ring.
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who also sits on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, created an exploratory committee to run for president Tuesday night. However, Gillibrand was not present at the hearing.
Merkley also spent his time pressing Wheeler on global warming. The 2020 hopeful asked Wheeler how concerned he was about warming on a scale of one to 10, and then grilled Wheeler on his plan to replace the Clean Power Plan (CPP).
“How concerned are you about this devastating impact on our nation and the world?” Merkley asked before grilling Wheeler on the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule that would replace the CPP.
Merkley has not officially announced his 2020 candidacy but is seeking to change Oregon law so he can simultaneously run for president and Senate.
Booker accused Wheeler of “undermining the sense of urgency” to tackle global warming by rolling back regulations on emissions from power plants, vehicles and oil, and gas operations.
“I believe we are moving forward on a proactive basis,” Wheeler said, referencing ACE. “My career staff tell me our proposal is going to get us a 34 percent reduction in CO2 and the Obama proposal would have gotten a 33 to 35 percent reduction.”
“I’m trying to understand what is motivating this,” Booker said. “But why are pulling back on regulations that will ultimately help us to deal with what our climate scientists say we need to do in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions?”
It’s widely expected Booker will soon enter the presidential arena. Booker said in December he would “begin to think about running for president” over the holiday season.
Read more at Daily Caller
Cory(Sparticus)Booker,Sheldon(Lock up the Skeptic)Whitehouse,Whirly Birdie Sanders to throw the pussy Hats into the ring?
Wheeler gave oblique answers to the Climate Inquisition panel. He’ll be head of an EPA that needs a surgical overhaul. Offering platitudes prolongs the cancer.
In spite of CO2 being a ghg, multiple compelling evidence listed in Section 2 of http://globalclimatedrivers2.blogspot.com rules it out as a significant contributor to climate change. Explanation of why is in Section 5.
All reporting agencies agree there has been little or no change in average global temperature since about 2002.
CO2 has increased since 2002 by 40% of the increase 1800 to 2002 so if CO2 has any effect on temperature it can’t be very much.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dv8kE26U0AEKfdY.jpg
The use of water vapor as the ghg is not ruled out. Properly combining the log of increased WV with an approximation for ocean cycles and, as a proxy for what the sun does, the time-integral of SSN anomalies, results in a match to measured average global temperature of 98.3% 1895-2017.
“In spite of CO2 being a ghg, multiple compelling evidence listed in Section 2 of http://globalclimatedrivers2.blogspot.com rules it out as a significant contributor to climate change. Explanation of why is in Section 5.”
WHEN IS CO2 A TRUE GREENHOUSE GAS? When CO2 gas is pumped into a greenhouse to heat it up? No. CO2 is used in greenhouses to grow tomatoes, cucumbers or lettuce, it boosts photosynthesis, resulting in stronger, healthier plants and increased yields. Whereas normal air has a carbon dioxide concentration of around 400 ppm, most plants fare better in environments with carbon dioxide concentrations of between 600 and 1,000 ppm.
According to NASA, the gases in Earth’s atmosphere include: Nitrogen — 78 percent. Oxygen — 21 percent. Argon — 0.93 percent. Carbon dioxide — 0.04 percent. And trace amounts of neon, helium, methane, krypton and hydrogen, as well as water vapor.
According to NASA, you’ll notice “water vapor” is mentioned last because it exists in just trace amounts! Right? No. Not really! You find out later, on average, the amount of “water vapor” is normally 0.25% of the atmosphere, by mass the 4th most abundant gas. ooops!
And, in spite of CO2 being a ghg… GHG emissions are often measured in carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent. To convert emissions of a gas into CO2 equivalent, its emissions are multiplied by the gas’s Global Warming Potential (GWP). The GWP takes into account the fact that >>>MANY GASSES ARE MORE EFFECTIVE AT WARMING EARTH THAN CO2<<<, per unit mass.
Gerry…..
Please read this site… http://nov79.com/gbwm/gbwm.html
Thanks
When the Eco-Wackos cant get their way through the public they turn to the courts and liberal actvists rougue judges working for the CFR and UN
CO2 does not cause global warming.
http://nov79.com/gbwm/gbwm.html
They may need a riot squad very soon when the brawl becomes a total riot and the fighting gets real’y violent
Looking at the number of Democrats that are considering running for president next year, I’m visualizing the debates between the candidates. Lengthy. Do you think that CNN will host the debates – free of charge – for who knows how many hours? “Make another pot of coffee Marge, I’m going to be here a while”