EPA funding for greenhouse gas regulation was cut by Republicans in the House on Friday. When the Republicans took office following the last election they were saying they had a mandate from the voters for changing Obama’s policies. But they didn’t mention which voters or policies.

The cuts come despite the fact that polls show the majority of Americans want cleaner air, support the EPA’s efforts and do not want congress meddling with that authority. So the big question is what voters are the Republicans representing or is this just another case of Republicans being in big businesses back pocket?

The bill to cut spending was pushed forward by Ted Poe, a Texas Republican who clearly has a mandate to protect big oil in Texas and not the people who live or breathe there.

A Supreme Court decision gave the EPA the right to regulate greenhouse gases because carbon dioxide emissions were deemed to be a hazard to public health and therefore fell under EPA jurisdiction.

The cut off of EPA’s funds coincides with the launch of new EPA regulations that would require oil refineries, utility companies with coal-fired plants and other large polluters to follow tougher emission guidelines on expansions and new construction projects.

Naturally, coal-producing states, those that rely predominantly on coal for power production and heavy industry such as oil companies are against tougher regulations. They claim the regulations will raise costs and lead to lost jobs.

Environmentalists are making the same claims saying stopping the EPA will cause job loss in a growing green energy industry.

Failing the passage of any kind of national environmental bill, the Obama administration has been using the EPA’s authority to try and control carbon emissions and global warming. It looks like Republicans won this round but the question is at whose expense.