WASHINGTON - June 10 - The Center for Biological Diversity issued the following statement today from Executive Director Kierán Suckling in response to Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski's failed attempt to block the Environmental Protection Agency from curbing greenhouse gas pollution under the Clean Air Act:

"The Senate was right to turn back this wrong-headed bill. The Environmental Protection Agency must be allowed to do its job, which includes using the Clean Air Act to protect the air we breathe and taking the necessary steps to avoid catastrophic climate change. Any attempts to gut the Clean Air Act - no matter from which side of the aisle and what form of bill - ought to be rejected."

"With this vote behind us, the EPA needs to take the next critical steps in setting science-based greenhouse pollution reduction standards to break our global addiction to dangerous fossil fuels. The EPA already has the tools and authority under the Clean Air Act to act now."

"The continuing disaster in the Gulf demonstrates with tragic clarity the need to protect and fully enforce our nation's flagship environmental laws."