Obama set the tone for his energy and environment agenda during his inaugural address. | REUTERS Greens' hope springs eternal

After a long line of bitter disappointments, climate change activists are hoping 2013 is their year. Greens are encouraged like never before by President Barack Obama’s soaring rhetoric on the issue, and they’re eagerly awaiting tough new rules from the Environmental Protection Agency. But conservatives are determined to launch an all-out assault to block any new regulations.

LOOKING BACK


Obama set the tone for his second-term energy and environment agenda during his inaugural address, which included a lengthy discussion on climate change. “We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations,” the president promised.

He ratcheted up the rhetoric in his State of the Union address, warning that if Congress doesn’t act on climate change, his administration will. As expected, Republicans quickly reiterated their opposition to any new climate legislation. But EPA is expected to move forward with regulations on greenhouse gas sources like power plants.

In the State of the Union, Obama also stressed that his strategy for tackling climate change will stretch beyond EPA. He called on his Cabinet to come up with a list of executive actions to “reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.”

LOOKING FORWARD

EPA will be on the hot seat in coming months as it works to finish climate change regulations for new power plants, probably this spring. After that, the agency is widely expected to move forward with climate regulations for existing power plants, which could have an even bigger impact on the demand for coal.

Opponents have a number of options for attacking the rules. Some groups will challenge them in the courts, while others will focus on building public opposition by arguing that they would kill jobs and tank the economy.

In Congress, Republicans could propose legislation blocking the proposed rules or challenge the regulations using the Congressional Review Act once they’re enacted. Both moves are unlikely to succeed, given Obama’s veto power. But they’ll help cement Republican opposition and put some red-state Democrats in a tough spot.

Meanwhile, a coalition of liberals in Congress hopes to move climate change to the top of the agenda, despite little hope of any significant legislation passing.

One step is the formation of a climate change caucus by Rep. Henry Waxman of California, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. A member of that group plans to speak on the House floor about climate change every day that the chamber is in session. Waxman also has formed a bicameral climate change task force with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) have separately introduced legislation to put a price on carbon dioxide emissions. Boxer has said she hopes to bring it to the floor this summer.