White House Regulation Plan Sets Path for Tougher Climate Rules

The White House issued new guidance Thursday that clears the way for agencies to write tougher rules governing greenhouse gases, chemicals, and a wide range of other pollutants.

The change to the estimated value of regulatory benefits over time, called the discount rate, makes it easier for proposed rules whose benefits lie mostly in the future to survive the rigorous analysis agencies must undertake.

Rules meant to curb carbon emissions could fit in that category because the full effect of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change don’t kick in right away. The same is true of chemicals that cause cancer ...