Whatever else it is, the horrendous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a reminder to Americans of the problems and costs associated with the nation's addiction to petroleum as an energy source. At this of all times, it would take a member of Congress especially tone deaf to the news to push a resolution that favors Big Oil.

Unfortunately, Alaska's Sen. Lisa Murkowski appears up to the task. The Republican is pressing adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 26, which would disapprove -- basically, veto -- the Environmental Protection Agency's science-based finding in December that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare.

While saying then she was committed to a careful evaluation of options to address climate change, Sen. Murkowski opposed the EPA "endangerment finding" for carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases because it threatened a host of "command-and-control directives, rather than market-based decisions." Cynics might say she opposed the EPA action because it might actually achieve something. Realists can say that reckless market-based decisions contributed to the Gulf oil spill.

The irresponsibility of the resolution, which is scheduled for a vote Thursday, is breathtaking. If it succeeds, it would be a major blow to the Clean Air Act and call into question whether this country will ever be able to contain greenhouse gas emissions.

As EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said in testimony before a House subcommittee in April, if Congress were to nullify the EPA's finding of the harmful effects of greenhouse gas pollution, it would remove the legal basis for a greenhouse gas standard for new vehicles -- a standard that by 2022 will save approximately 13.6 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel that year alone, decreasing America's oil imports by $41.5 billion and reducing emissions by 138 million metric tons.

Pennsylvania has its own stake in the debate, being among the dozen states that adopted California's tougher standard on vehicle emissions for its own program. PennEnvironment estimates that the state would use an additional 17 million gallons of gasoline by 2016 if the EPA's vehicle standards are rescinded. The extra cost to the state's consumers at the pump is put at $46 million.

This is no time to indulge Big Oil. Pennsylvania Sens. Arlen Specter and Bob Casey should not waver -- this resolution needs to be rejected.

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