Senate blocks move against EPA climate rules

Century City and downtown Los Angeles are seen through the smog December 31, 2007.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic and Republican leaders in the U.S. Senate on Thursday agreed to block legislation that would have stopped some possible Environmental Protection Agency rules to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Under the agreement, the Senate will not vote on whether to approve legislation by Senator Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, to impose a one-year moratorium on EPA rules for carbon emissions from utilities, oil refineries and factories that are under consideration.

Murkowski was trying to attach her measure to an EPA funding bill for next year. It was unclear whether she might try to push her idea forward on other legislation, however.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan, Editing by Sandra Maler)