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Tuesday, December 3, 2002 |
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"It should surprise no one that EPA waited until after the election and right before the holidays to foist this turkey on the American people. Christmas is coming early this year for corporate polluters."
- - Senator Patrick Leahy
RHINO HERE:
What's more fun for energy companies than shredding Enron documents? Having shrub & company shred the Clean Air Act for them. Last month they relaxed air pollution regs making it easier for older factories, refineries and power plants to modernize without installing expensive new anti-pollution equipment. Under pressure from industry lobbyists, shrub intends to let 17,000 of the country's biggest polluting facilities including old, dirty power plants, oil refineries, and chemical plants escape rules that require them to install modern pollution controls when they pump out more pollution. This unprecedented weakening of the clean air laws will allow millions more tons of soot, smog, and toxic pollution to be spewed into our air each year. For me it begs a question that many people around the world are asking: "How do you define the word terrorist?"
ASSOCIATED PRESS, November 22, 2002
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20021122-1633-cleanair.html
9:57:47 AM 
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Cheryl Seal of Unknown News has made on target comments and compiled a list of responses by enviornmental groups
http://www.unknownnews.net/cdd1125.html
"...The rate of childhood asthma and elderly respiratory distress, already climbing, is predicted to sky rocket. The number of deaths that can be directly related to air pollution in America is already estimated to be AT LEAST 30,000 - more than TEN TIMES the death toll on 9/11. Acid rain, beginning to abate in many places, is worsening again already under Bush and will lead to the devastation of northern forests and to a growing number of acidified rivers, streams, and lakes unable to support any game fish at all. Meanwhile, environmental groups are scrambling to answer this attack. Blocked from putting out their message in any meaningful way through the mainstream media, they have put out statements through the wire services, hoping some will see the light of day. Here are a few:"
National Parks Conservation Association
http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/prime/1122-124.html
"...This rollback breaks a promise made by Congress 25 years ago to clean up pollution from old, dirty smokestacks. The Bush decision was made behind closed doors that locked out reasonable opportunities for public comment..."
National Environmental Trust
"...This is the Bush Administration's payoff to 13 big electric utilities for the more than $4 million they gave to elect Republicans to Congress this fall.... Democrats and Republicans in Congress are likely to be forced to vote on it early next year, and the issue will be simple: is your Member of Congress more interested in protecting the health of average Americans or in protecting the profits of 13 big utility companies?"
National Wildlife Federation
http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/prime/1122-119.html
"...By widening the loophole that has allowed old coal-fired power plants to avoid modern pollution controls for 30 years, this reckless action makes it more difficult to protect people and wildlife from the other major impacts of these power plants, including the buildup of toxic mercury contamination in the nation's waterways and the mounting toll of global warming."
Former EPA Administrator Carole Browner
http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/prime/1122-118.html
"...will permit thousands of the oldest, dirtiest smokestacks to continue spewing out pollution rather than installing state of the art pollution controls. It is nothing but a special deal for the special interests. It comes at the expense of all who breathe and most particularly our children."
Clean Air Trust
http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/prime/1122-113.html
"It is no coincidence this decision was delayed until after the recent elections...This is the biggest regulatory rollback of the Clean Air Act in its history..."
American Lung Association
http://www.lungusa.org/
"...According to the EPA, 175 million Americans live in areas violating health standards for smog or soot. Relaxing air pollution control rules applicable to 18,000 industrial pollution sources defies basic principles of common sense and good government..."
Joe Lieberman (via Environment News)
http://ens-news.com/ens/nov2002/2002-11-22-10.asp
"...Governor Whitman has a good record and good intentions, but on her watch this administration has undertaken the biggest rollback in Clean Air Act history and scaled back countless other environmental protections...Time and again, her advice has been overruled by a White House determined to gut commonsense environmental standards. Out of principle and protest, she should step down..."
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy
http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/prime/1122-135.html
"I had hoped that EPA Administrator Christine Whitman would have gone back to her roots as an advocate for states' rights and tougher clean air rules, but instead she is letting corporate polluters off the legal hook that, in the past, has lowered air pollution and led to million-dollar settlements with some of the biggest offenders. This judicial bailout for corporate polluters not only takes cleaner air as a hostage; it also could mean that billions of dollars that would go to the federal treasury from pending court cases will now be lost."
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9:44:27 AM
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