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MARCH 14, 2001

Backing off a campaign promise and contradicting the words of Environmental Protection Agency head Christie Whitman, President Bush on Tuesday told four Repubican Senators the administration will not seek reductions in carbon dioxide emissions at power plants.

While on the campaign trail, Bush in September said he would require "all power plants to meet clean air standards in order to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury and carbon dioxide within a reasonable period of time."

Now, the administration says carbon dioxides were included in the list as a mistake and are not techically a "pollutant." But just recently, Whitman had in fact been saying she would uphold Bush's pledge as part of the Clean Air Act.

The emissions are thought to have an effect on global warming but pose no direct threat to human health.

Get Bush's Campaign Promise:
A Comprehensive National Energy Policy (George W. Bush 9/29)

Get Bush's Letter:
Text of a Letter from the President to Senators Hagel, Helms, Craig, and Roberts (The White House 3/13)

Get the Story:
Bush Drops a Call For Emissions Cuts (The Washington Post 3/14)