"As Hill Debate on Climate Flounders, EPA Plows Ahead on Emission Rules"

"The Obama administration is finalizing rules to control industrial greenhouse gas emissions amid growing skepticism about the prospects of Congress passing a comprehensive climate change bill this year.

U.S. EPA is nearly finished with rules that answer the Supreme Court's 2007 opinion on global warming, as well as a nationwide standard to control greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles.

The regulatory push comes as Senate Democrats struggle to find the votes to pass a global warming bill. Committee chairmen have delayed the introduction of their cap-and-trade proposal until later this month, but it is unclear if they will get traction as Congress wades deeper into a battle over overhauling the nation's health care system."

Robin Bravender and Darren Samuelsohn report for Greenwire in the New York Times September 10, 2009.