"Greens Play Public Health Card"

"With environmental regulations under siege on Capitol Hill, Democrats and green advocates are falling back on a familiar and, they hope, persuasive argument: These rules will save American lives.

In their failed push to pass global warming legislation in recent years, environmental advocates have warned the public about melting sea ice, species extinction and rampant floods and droughts. The Obama administration and congressional Democrats also have promised that addressing these threats would create 'green jobs.'

But 'public health' is now the phrase du jour — both in the climate change debate and in an approaching battle over the Environmental Protection Agency’s rules for smog, soot and harmful air toxins. That means lawmakers who aim to upend environmental regulations will face green groups trying to shame them as opponents of ailing kids and seniors."

Darren Samuelsohn and Robin Bravender report for Politico January 26, 2011.