EPA May Regulate Ocean Acidification From CO2

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering using the Clean Water Act to regulate carbon dioxide emissions because of their role in sharply increasing the acidity of the oceans. The agency, acting in response to a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity, filed a notice in the Federal Register saying it was considering tightening pH standards of marine waters. Carbon dioxide emissions from the U.S. and around the world are causing the world’s oceans to absorb roughly 22 million pounds of CO2 a day, resulting in increased acidity that impairs the ability of corals and other marine creatures to maintain protective shells and build skeletons. The notice about regulating CO2 emissions under the Clean Water Act comes as the EPA is poised to announce that it will regulate CO2 emissions as a harmful pollutant under the Clean Air Act.