Obama climate rules can’t wait until after election

In the next few weeks, President Barack Obama’s administration is set to unveil unprecedented emissions limits on power plants across the U.S.

But many Democratic candidates in energy-producing states are unhappy about that, fearing a political backlash. They would prefer that the president hold off on sweeping new climate-change steps until after November’s midterm elections.

However, Obama can’t wait that long.

Unless he starts now, the rules won’t be in place before he leaves office. In that case, it would make it easier for Obama’s successor to head off or begin dismantling the cornerstone of Obama’s climate-change legacy.

So even though the new limits could bolster Republican attacks against some of this year’s most vulnerable Democrats, the administration is proceeding at full speed.