Backup Plan Is in the Works for 'Clear Skies'

With the fate of President Bush's "Clear Skies" proposal looking increasingly hazy on Capitol Hill, administration officials are preparing to make similar changes to air pollution rules for power plants, which are among the nation's biggest generators of smog, acid rain and mercury.

For the third time in three weeks, Senate Republicans postponed a pivotal committee hearing Thursday on the White House-backed Clear Skies legislation, the most ambitious overhaul of the Clean Air Act in 15 years, because they lacked the votes to pass it.

But if Clear Skies stalls, Bush administration officials are poised to reshape power plant regulations through the rulemaking process this month in ways that mimic the legislation.

In the offing are new limits on power plant emissions of mercury that have been widely criticized as too lenient. On the other hand, the administration's proposed changes include market-based incentives to reduce smog and acid rain — incentives supported by critics of Clear Skies.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-skies4mar04,1,6100946.story?coll=la-news-politics-national