New Head of EPA

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New Head of EPA

Postby shostakovich » Sat Mar 05, 2005 4:46 pm

Stephen L. Johnson was named. Now I quote from a newspaper article (AP).

"Johnson's first task will be to sell air pollution regulations --- aimed at reducing mercury emissions from power plant smokestacks and other pollutants carried by winds across state lines."
Sounds promising, but why only at plants whose pollutants cross state lines?

"Johnson also faces the chore of freeing Bush's top legislative priority, a 'clear skies' bill ---"
My vague recollection is that the only thing the bill had to do with clear skies is the title. If so, that's in keeping with "No Child Left Behind", the "Medicare Plus Choice" (not medicare if you want drugs), and "Social Security Reform" (i.e. destruction).

According to the article "Clear Skies" would impose mandatory ceilings on three of the biggest pollutants from power plants (sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury), but allow individual plants to exceed their shares by buying pollution rights."
This is doublespeak like "An attack on Iran is ridiculous. Having said that, all options are on the table."

At a White House ceremony Johnson "praised Bush as having made 'great strides in environmental protection' his first term."
This doesn't sound promising for the environment.

Later, "Bush wants to cut EPA spending by nearly a half billion dollars next year, primarily from clean water programs."
Get your bottled water now, folks.
Shos
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Re: New Head of EPA

Postby shostakovich » Sat Mar 05, 2005 4:59 pm

But wait, there's more, unrelated to the above. From News Briefs in the paper,

"President Bush's budget would keep federal deficits above $200 billion annually over the next decade, Congress' top budget analyst said Friday. --- Bush's plans for spending and taxes would yield deficits through the decade ending in 2015 totaling $2.58 trillion. That is $1.6 trillion worse than they would be if none of the president's fiscal plans become law, --- "

Yeah, yeah, but think of that half billion saved from the EPA.
Shos
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Re: New Head of EPA

Postby OperaTenor » Sat Mar 05, 2005 10:36 pm

This is probably another page from Ronald Reagan's playbook: Back door emasculation of an agency by appointing a like-minded crony to head it.

:(
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Re: New Head of EPA

Postby barfle » Mon Mar 07, 2005 1:05 pm

Originally posted by shostakovich:
Stephen L. Johnson was named. Now I quote from a newspaper article (AP).

"Johnson's first task will be to sell air pollution regulations --- aimed at reducing mercury emissions from power plant smokestacks and other pollutants carried by winds across state lines."
Sounds promising, but why only at plants whose pollutants cross state lines?
Because Constitutionally, they are the only ones he's ALLOWED to address. However, I would be hard pressed to find a power plant anywhere besides Hawaii or maybe Alaska whose emissions did not cross state lines. Saying your emissions stayed within your state would be a very hard point to defend.
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Re: New Head of EPA

Postby Shapley » Mon Mar 07, 2005 1:32 pm

Thanks, Barfle. I was just about to address that.

The Federal government is charged with overseeing interstate and international commerce. Intrastate commerce is the jurisdiction of the States themselves.

There's that "States rights" issue again.

V/R
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Re: New Head of EPA

Postby haggis » Mon Mar 07, 2005 6:24 pm

He the first head of the EPA who is a scientist.

I find it strange that for all the decades the EPA’s been around, he’s the first scientist to head an agency whose work is almost completely based on science.
Haggis

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Re: New Head of EPA

Postby piqaboo » Mon Mar 07, 2005 7:05 pm

Best VP of R&D I've ever had is a Marketing guy, not even a BA in science. But good at cutting thru the bs, etc.

EPA Im not wild about. its too sloppy in the details. I dont want it to go away, but I do want it to get sharper. My info is a decade old however, from a friend who worked with 'em. Things like: EPA and local agency inspected Solar Turbine. Found a nasty little leak. Local agency notified ST next day, inspected following week, leak repaired. Fine calculated based on duration of known leak. EPA letter notification of leak came 6 months later, with threats and a fine precalculated based on assumption leak was still active. Problems here: 1) if the leak is really a problem, why was it allowed to (theoretically) keep leaking for 6 months? 2) why didnt EPA read local agency's followup report,duly submitted per regulations?

I got the impression that the EPA was subjected to more than its share of the petty bureaucrat's powertrip.

Anyone who praises GWB's environmental record scares me.

Which leads me to wonder about the long term effects of war on the environment....that;d be fun to bat around and try to figure out!
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Re: New Head of EPA

Postby shostakovich » Mon Mar 07, 2005 7:43 pm

He the first head of the EPA who is a scientist.

I find it strange that for all the decades the EPA’s been around, he’s the first scientist to head an agency whose work is almost completely based on science.

--------------------
Haggis

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I'm with you on this one, Haggis. Good to see you back.
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