Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, has placed a public hold on the confirmation of Robert Perciasepe, taking issue not so much with the appointment as a recent EPA study on the costs of controlling greenhouse gases (GHGs).

The senator wrote a letter on Monday, June 13, 2009, to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, informing her that he would place a procedural hold on Perciasepe's nomination. In the letter, Voinovich said the hold was due to his dissatisfaction with a recent EPA report used by President Obama and Democrats as justification for legislating mandatory controls on GHG emissions. The report in question noted an average cost per household of 22 to 30 cents per day for American families, but Voinovich believes the report glossed over important side-costs, including the price of carbon-control technologies, and the availability of certain offset programs.

The senator's letter asked for a  "refined analysis" before the hold would be removed.

Perciasepe is an EPA veteran from the Clinton Administration, serving as the Assistant Administrator for Water in the 1990s.

Links

• The letter is available courtesy of grist.org (pdf)