The EPA has effectively repealed the Clean Air Act as it applies to power generation utilities, by introducing new rules that allow existing plants to continue operation, or even expand operations, without adding equipment to control emissions. The new rules also prevent the government from interfering with all but the most egregious polluters, and attempt to block future Clean Air Act based citizen lawsuits.
It is, of course, no coincidence, that these issue were addressed by VP Dick Cheney's Energy Task Force, which seems to have been an industry-lead interest group that presented the Bush Administration with a wish list of items it wished the federal government to change. All without Congressional oversight, or the knowledge of the American people.
The main benificiaries of the new rules would have to be the enrgy industry, closely follwed by their shareholders. There will likely be no appreciable benefit to consumers. Indeed, the money that would have been used to clean up the emissions from these plants, will likely disappear into the pockets of those who run the utilities, while citizens get stuck with poorer air quality, more acid rain, and more respiratory ailments. So much for promoting the common welfare...
I can only hope that this will be a campaign issue in the fall elections. This is another issue where the Bush Administration does nothing more than look out for its cronies, with no regard to the interests of the common people. This is not an issue of excessive governmental regulation, this is a health issue.
If the most recent EPA report on global warming is accurate, it is also an econmic issue. Does anyone really think it will cost less to deal with severe climate change, including flooding of coastal cities, droughts, and deforestation will cost less than reasonable environmental regulations?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45379-2002Jun13.html?referer=email
Posted by Chris at June 14, 2002 01:37 PM