Alexanna Hengy is a staffer with the Rashid for Congress campaign, an environmental activist and co-founder of the Rappahannock Climate Mobilization, and suicide prevention activist. You can find out more about Qasim’s campaign at www.rashidforva.com and contribute at secure.actblue.com/…
Last Week the Trump administration’s EPA created a new method of calculating the costs and benefits of regulating mercury pollution. This new method downplays the many health benefits of mercury regulations. Mercury exposure can negatively impact unborn infants’ brain development and nervous systems, harming cognitive thinking, memory, attention, language, fine motor skills, and visual spatial skills. In all people it can cause neurological damage and lead to memory loss, cognitive motor difficulties, insomnia, headaches, and tremors. It can also harm digestive and immune systems, lungs, and kidneys.
The EPA said that these many health risks did not justify the economic costs of regulation, choosing to change the Obama era methods of cost benefit analysis to further emphasize the economic costs. Andrew Wheeler, former coal lobbyist and current head of the EPA, stated that the Obama era cost/benefit analysis was “dishonest” in including the benefits of preventing 7,400 heart attacks, 130,00 asthma attacks, and 11,000 premature deaths each year in the analysis. Under this rule change those health benefits will no longer be factored into considerations on how to regulate mercury.
The most frightening part is that this new method could be used to justify loosening regulations on any pollutant going forward. Major coal companies supported this rule change despite the fact that energy companies have already spent millions of dollars to install mercury reduction equipment, meaning that the current rule change brings no immediate benefit. The reason for their support is the precedent it sets—they know this will lead to less regulation in future.
This is why Robert E. Murray, former chief executive of Murray Energy Corporation and a top fundraiser for Trump, included this rule change in his “wish list”. The wish list consists of 16 requests to Trump on how he could make it even easier for fossil fuel companies to pollute our air and water, and launch us further into the climate crisis. So far, Trump has granted Murray the majority of his wishes.
Once again Trump and his administration are sacrificing our health and safety in the name of “saving the economy”. We know that really means ensuring he and his wealthy donors continue to profit. Qasim Rashid condemns this action and all other attacks on our environment, health, and safety. When he is in Congress he will lead with compassion through action and fight for our health and safety, not the fossil fuel industry. Rob Wittman and the GOP have stayed silent on this matter. Though, his vote in 2019 against preserving the Mercury Air Toxics Standards gives a pretty clear picture of where his priorities stand. Visit: https://rashidforva.com/ to learn more about Qasim Rashid and how he will fight for the health of you and our planet, and ways to get involved with his campaign. Visit: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/rashidforcongress if it’s within your bandwidth to donate.
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