Putting major policy issues like air quality regulation by the EPA and promotion of the Keystone pipeline into the spending bill is a tactic I expect from the Republicans.
That Senator Begich, Democrat from Alaska, agreed to both of these provisions is a huge disappointment.
These kinds of issues need stand-alone discussion so the people's voices can be heard.
That President Obama may sign a bill with these provisions may be the most troubling aspect of his presidency to date.
Here are the latest links and quotes.
Alaska Native News: http://alaska-native-news.com
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mark Begich today issued the following statement after language transferring air permitting authority for outer continental shelf (OCS) oil and gas development off Alaska’s Arctic coast from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the 2012 Department of the Interior spending bill.
Begich has been pushing for the change for several months and has lobbied both the White House and the Senate Democratic leadership for the change. Currently, there are two processes in the country, approval from the Department of the Interior for air permits in the Gulf of Mexico and approval from the EPA for all other waters, including the Arctic. His statement:
“This is an issue of fairness and is long-overdue,” Begich said. “Companies with projects in the Arctic are at a competitive disadvantage under the EPA. It’s time to move all air permitting under the Interior Department…
From Politico: http://www.politico.com/...
Top House Democrats on Friday are already downplaying the effects of including the Keystone XL oil pipeline as part of the must-pass payroll tax cut package.
Reps. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) told POLITICO that even if President Barack Obama signed a law requiring him to make a decision on permitting the 1,700-mile pipeline within 60 days, they think he'd still end up rejecting it...
"Frankly I will not be able to support a package that does not include the pipeline," McConnell added.
From Canada: http://edmonton.ctv.ca/...
This link also includes a map of the Keystone pipeline location in the U.S.
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Barack Obama's former national security adviser went to bat for TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline on Friday, saying the project "serves the national security interests of the United States" and should be approved.
"Every day it becomes more evident for our nation to achieve true energy security we must engage our stable and reliable neighbours -- Canada in particular," Gen. Jim Jones, who left the administration in 2010, told a conference call hosted by the American Petroleum Institute, a major pipeline proponent.
"The country can't afford to pass up the opportunity for reliable supply from a close ally and neighbour, which would leave us less vulnerable .... This is the right time to show our neighbours to the north that we are partners with them."...
From Planet Save: http://planetsave.com/...
WASHINGTON (December 16, 2011) – A massive year-end spending bill has been agreed to by congressional and White House negotiators that should avert a government shutdown. The following is a statement by Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council:
“Thanks to President Obama and Democratic congressional leaders, dozens of anti-environment `riders’ sought by the radical Tea Party and the House Republican leadership have been kept out of the omnibus spending bill. That’s a victory for the American people. We’ve stopped the extremists from blocking restrictions on air pollution, fouling our waters, threatening endangered species and despoiling our public lands.
“Unfortunately, the bill still contains some damaging riders, including one that will weaken air pollution controls in the Arctic...
One of the worst of these riders is Section 432, which would keep companies interested drilling off the coast of Alaska from needing to get Clean Air Act permits. Also, the bill would transfer air permitting authority from EPA to DOI, which “in essence eliminates the Environmental Appeals Board from being able to review permits (and prevents legal challenges),” according to Earthjustice. This rider is designed tofast-track oil drilling in Alaska’s frigid and fragile Chukchi Sea, which Shell Oil has been pursuingfor years.
Alaska native communities have been most successful in protecting their homes from Shell’s drilling operations by challenging EPA’s issuance of Clean Air Act permits. This provision would remove that safety net for their survival...
You can leave a message for the White House here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/...