President George W. Bush has turned his back on improving the environment by reversing his repeated campaign promise to limit carbon dioxide emissions from coal-burning power plants.

Last week, Bush decided the administration would not limit the emissions despite the fact that the plan had already been endorsed by his Environmental Protection Agency administrator Christie Todd Whitman, whose public announcements made it sound like the new emissions standards were a done deal. This all comes as a surprise after headlines earlier this month trumpeted Bush's adherence to his campaign promise. It's an even bigger surprise when we consider Bush's promise during a policy speech on Sept. 29 to "establish mandatory reduction targets" for emissions of four major pollutants, including carbon dioxide. Later on the campaign trail, Bush distanced himself from opponent Al Gore, emphasizing his proposed mandatory targets in comparison to Gore's voluntary reductions.

The lack of communication between the president and one of his top advisers is also disturbing. Whitman met with European environmental leaders a few weeks ago and pledged that the administration would indeed limit the carbon dioxide emissions.

Bush has defended his position by saying that because of the nation's energy problems, exemplified by the recent power crisis in California, a reduction in emissions would just push electricity prices up and lead to energy shortages. But the emissions reductions that Bush proposed during his campaign would have been implemented gradually, despite Bush's exaggerated claim that they would have a direct and immediate effect on consumers. The current administration needs to stop putting businesses ahead of environmental problems because they will not go away but only get progressively worse. Environmental issues have little priority over the importance of healthy business, and the administration has to remember that decisions today will have a greater affect on Americans tomorrow.

Standards on the quality of our air haven't been substantially updated through legislation since the Clean Air Act 1990. A few senators are now pushing for the passage of the Clean Power Act of 2001, and we urge this administration to consider the legislation. Environmental issues have little priority in legislation, and the decision to limit emissions was one of the most important during Bush's campaigning. Now that he has gone back on this promise, the future of the environmental record in the current administration is questionable.