NPR's
Elizabeth Shogren broadcast a report on Morning Edition revealing that Bush's EPA is preparing to unleash yet another crime against nature:
A leaked document to the NRDC from the Environmental Protection Agency suggests that the agency is considering a significant change in air-pollution rules. It would give chemical factories, refineries and manufacturing plants new leeway to increase emissions of pollutants that cause cancer and birth defects.
Yes, there's more...
This news was leaked from an EPA staffer who "wanted the public to be aware of this 'backward step'."
Like many agencies, the career professionals who exemplify integrity and dedication to science and facts in their pursuit of protecting the public, the field staff at EPA is finding itself at odds with the political hacks in D.C.
More on that later, but first, what is the proposed change?
The details are available in the 54-page leaked document posted by NPR.
In a nutshell:
Currently, any factory that emits more than 25 tons of toxic chemicals into the air each year must reduce its pollution as much as it feasibly can. Walke says the draft proposal would give a break to companies that own those plants. After they clean up, their only requirement would be to keep their pollution below 25 tons a year.
"Take an oil refinery that 10 years ago polluted 100 tons of toxic air pollution," Walke says. "Due to the Clean Air Act, that refinery today will emit only five tons of toxic air pollution. Under this EPA proposal, that refinery can increase it's toxic pollution from five tons to 25 tons."
Lobbyists and mouthpieces for the Pollution Coalition claim the rule change would reward "major sources" for reducing their pollution down to 25 tons.
But 9 of 10 of the regional officials at EPA, those who actually know what's going on and aren't politically disposed to grovel at GOP corporate paymasters toes, argued in a letter to EPA headquarters that the change would be "detrimental to the environment and undermine the intent of the program."
Does the proposal analyze the tradeoff between factories that would lower to 25 tons and those that would--in the absence of EPA leverage--raise UP to 25 tons? Not at all.
In the draft rule, the EPA asserts that plants will not use the rule to increase pollution because they'll want to "avoid negative publicity and maintain their appearance as responsible businesses."
Oh, what a relief! We can count on corporate polluters to do the right thing because they want to look good?
Under this proposed rule change, no one at EPA or elsewhere will know if polluters are jumping their output of cancer and birth defects from 5 tons to 25!
To boot, the Bush appointee who as acting head of EPA's air office oversaw this draft rule, William Wehrum, is before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee tomorrow for confirmation.
Jim Jeffords, ranking Minority member on the committee, issued the following statement yesterday:
"If this draft rule were to be put into effect, polluters could emit many more tons of cancer-causing air pollutants and heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury and lead, seriously jeopardizing the health of millions of Americans. This rule turns the Clean Air Act topsy-turvy by letting polluters run their controls at half-speed. Once again, it appears that the EPA is looking for ways to make the Clean Air Act more friendly for polluters at the expense of public health. The rationale and ramifications of this rule will be front and center at Mr. Wehrum's nomination hearing this week."
Call your legislators in DC and stop Bush's thugs from selling our health and our children's natural heritage.
Call, email, telegram, candygram, whatever it takes--to any member on this committee, even if they're GOP:
James Inhofe
John Warner
Chris Bond
George Voinovich
Lincoln Chafee
Lisa Murkowski
John Thune
Jim DeMint
Johnny Isakson
David Vitter
James Jeffords
Max Baucus
Joe Lieberman
Barbara Boxer
Tom Carper
Hillary Clinton
Frank Lautenberg
Barak Obama