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Bush defends Environmental rule changes during fundraisers ---

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by underoverup, Sep 15, 2003.

  1. underoverup

    underoverup Member

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    Bush's Environmental Protection Agency has undertaken a major rewrite of so-called New Source Review rules that govern the steps utilities, petroleum refiners and thousands of other facilities must take when making major upgrades to their plants. It allows industry to make major plant upgrades without installing expensive pollution-reduction equipment and lets dirtier, older plants to operate well beyond their intended life span.
    Environmental groups said Bush's policy will increase pollution, particularly at the Monroe plant, one of the largest coal-fired plants in the country. "Thanks to new rules from a 'kinder, gentler EPA,' Detroit Edison can upgrade Monroe and other plants, even if pollution increases substantially as a result, without obtaining the permits and pollution controls that used to be required under the 'New Source Review' provisions of the Clean Air Act," said Eric Schaeffer, director of the Environmental Integrity Project and former chief of civil enforcement at the EPA.

    Bush Defends Change in Environmental Rules
    By Steve Holland

    MONROE, Mich. (Reuters) - President Bush on Monday defended a change in clean air rules -- which environmentalists believe will cause more pollution -- as necessary to allow power plants to upgrade their equipment and keep the U.S. economy going.

    Wearing a hard hat and safety glasses, Bush toured a coal-burning power plant, the Detroit Edison Monroe facility, then gave a speech to employees and local political figures saying his environmental policies are working. Bush was on a day trip to two states crucial to his re-election next year, Michigan and Pennsylvania, to talk up his environmental record and add to a war chest now about $62 million.

    He addressed Republican donors in rainy Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, later on Monday, raising $1.25 million from 775 attendees, telling them "we're laying the groundwork for what is going to be a great nationwide victory in November of 2004."

    Bush's Environmental Protection Agency has undertaken a major rewrite of so-called New Source Review rules that govern the steps utilities, petroleum refiners and thousands of other facilities must take when making major upgrades to their plants. It allows industry to make major plant upgrades without installing expensive pollution-reduction equipment and lets dirtier, older plants to operate well beyond their intended life span.

    Bush said the policy needed to be changed to allow plants to upgrade quickly to improve their reliability rather than go through a complicated government review process. "The rules created too many hurdles, and that hurts the working people," he said.

    "It makes sense to change these regulations," Bush said. "It makes sense for the workplace environment, it makes sense for the protection of our air. Not only do I believe that, but union leaders believe that, manufacturers believe that, the utilities believe that, a bipartisan coalition of Congress believes it."

    ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS OBJECT
    But several Democratic presidential candidates, including Sen. John Edwards (news, bio, voting record) of North Carolina and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, said the Senate should block confirmation of Bush's choice to head the EPA, Utah Gov. Michael Leavitt, until the administration changes its clear air policy.

    Environmental groups said Bush's policy will increase pollution, particularly at the Monroe plant, one of the largest coal-fired plants in the country. "Thanks to new rules from a 'kinder, gentler EPA,' Detroit Edison can upgrade Monroe and other plants, even if pollution increases substantially as a result, without obtaining the permits and pollution controls that used to be required under the 'New Source Review' provisions of the Clean Air Act," said Eric Schaeffer, director of the Environmental Integrity Project and former chief of civil enforcement at the EPA.

    Outside the plant, guarded by police, was a group of protesters who had a giant papier-mache rat with the slogan, "Rat's Best Friend." Acting EPA Administrator Marianne Horinko said Bush's appearance was an effort to defend the policy. "I think it's important to literally clear the air on this rule," she told reporters.

    The Bush administration contends its proposal would cut power plant emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and mercury by 70 percent. Environmentalists say it would increase pollution compared with existing law and fails to set limits on carbon dioxide emissions, thought to be a major cause of global warming.
     
  2. underoverup

    underoverup Member

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    I'll give this one more try--- :) I think this is really important.

    It was Bush's second event in two days aimed at bolstering his environmental record for his re-election campaign, and at defending an air-quality agenda that environmentalists believe threatens increased pollution. "Every chance they (the Bush administration) get to side with the corporate polluters at the expense of the environment and the public's health, they take it," said New Jersey Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg. Bush visited a power plant in Monroe, Michigan on Monday, to promote a controversial change in clean air rules that makes it easier for industrial facilities to install new equipment without updating pollution controls.

    Bush Touts Environment Plan as Economic Boost
    By Randall Mikkelsen

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Tuesday pitched his "Clear Skies" pollution control initiative as good for the economy, but ran into Democratic criticism that the plan served "corporate polluters."

    "People in this country must understand that we can have a pro-growth agenda, a pro-job agenda and a pro-environment agenda at the same time," Bush said after meeting at the White House with local officials, union leaders and other supporters of his plans.

    It was Bush's second event in two days aimed at bolstering his environmental record for his re-election campaign, and at defending an air-quality agenda that environmentalists believe threatens increased pollution. "Every chance they (the Bush administration) get to side with the corporate polluters at the expense of the environment and the public's health, they take it," said New Jersey Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg. Bush visited a power plant in Monroe, Michigan on Monday, to promote a controversial change in clean air rules that makes it easier for industrial facilities to install new equipment without updating pollution controls.

    On Tuesday, he focused on his proposed "Clear Skies" legislation of new standards for industrial air pollution. The plan would limit emissions of sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxide and mercury and assign companies emissions permits, which could be bought and sold.

    Environmentalists say the proposal fails to regulate emissions of carbon dioxide, believed to contribute to global warming, and that its standards are weaker than existing law. "If Congress passed the Clear Skies bill, the result would be to weaken and delay health protections already required under the current law," the Natural Resources Defense Council said on its Internet site.

    Bush declared the proposal would reduce emissions by 70 percent and encourage investment by reducing uncertainty and giving companies an incentive to reduce pollution so they could sell their emissions permits. "The legislation on the books is counterproductive," said Bush. "The rules are such that it's likely a lot of cities are going to lose the capacity to have good manufacturing jobs."
     
  3. Deckard

    Deckard Blade Runner
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    Can't he come up with something new to shaft the public that he didn't already shaft Texans with?? I guess he didn't "bless us" with John Ashcroft in Texas... he waited until he was President.

    He pulled the same "voluntary" emissions controls in Texas, gutting an attempt in the Lege to strengthen them, and said "voluntary compliance" would save money and do just as good a job at reducing pollution. Guess what... the utilities didn't do squat.

    I'm just shaking my head in wonder that people voted for this guy.

    Here's some information about his record in Texas:




    Under George W. Bush's leadership, Texas ranks number one in a many categories of pollution and environmental degradation. For example, Texas is:


    #1 in the Emission of Ozone Causing Air Pollution Chemicals
    #1 in Toxic Chemical releases into the Air
    #1 in use of Deep Well Injectors as method of Waste Disposal
    #1 in counties listed in top 20 of Emitting Cancer Causing Chemicals
    #1 in Total Number of Hazardous Waste Incinerators
    #1 in Environmental Justice Title 6 complaints
    #1 in production of Cancer causing Benzene & Vinyl Chloride
    #1 Largest Sludge Dump in Country
    Texas air quality has worsened significantly under Gov. Bush's administration. The Houston-Galveston area has had eight of the top ten ozone (smog) peaks in the nation, far surpassing Los Angeles. But as concern over the health and environmental consequences rise, the governor's policy has been only to fight the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's attempts to impose stricter air quality protections.

    When confronted with the option of enforcing regulations or bypassing them, Gov. Bush has consistently chosen the latter. After research showed that 1,000 unregulated, "grandfathered" industrial plants accounted for a huge proportion of Texas air pollution, Bush opposed legislation that would force the companies to clean up and instead cut a back room deal to install a "voluntary" program. The heads of these companies include some of the Governor's largest campaign contributors.

    The Governor intervened to ask the federal government to let the state handle planning to protect endangered species, then supported legislation and other actions to allow development and other threats to the species to continue, so far indefinitely.

    Under Bush's watch Texas has deregulated many aspects of its environmental policy, including policies governing wastewater discharges, pesticides, air pollution and even certain types of nuclear waste.

    Industry consultants and boardmembers of polluting companies have been appointed to run Texas key regulating agencies. As a result, state environmental regulators have become largely ineffective, with inadequate resources or direction to enforce even the regulations still on the books. Texas environmental agency inspectors are now actually required as agency policy give notice of compliance inspections one to two weeks in advance. Texas PEER frankly fears for the nation's environmental well being if Gov. Bush's agenda rises to the federal government level. Governor Bush has said, "What Texans can dream, Texans can do." Clearly, Gov. Bush never dreamed of cleaning up Texas' environment.


    From: www.twpeer.org



    Does this help, underoverup? :)
     

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