White House threatens to veto EPA related bills

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is issuing veto threats against House Republican legislation that places new reporting requirements on the Environmental Protection Agency. The White House says the measures could delay or prevent environmental decisions.

The veto threats target three bills. One would require the EPA to disclose scientific data behind proposed regulations. The White House says some data is not released to protect the privacy of test subjects or confidential business information.

Another bill aims to reduce permit delays by requiring the EPA to update regulations whenever it revises air quality standards. The White House says that could create premature regulations without input from states.

A third bill would place restrictions on the EPA's Science Advisory Board that the White House says would hurt its ability to advise the agency.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141118/us--white_house-veto_threat-d47ffd4901.html

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. From that tiny snippet, I don't have a problem with the first bill.

The EPA *should* be fine with disclosing scientific data. How does 'confidential business information' outweigh the public's access to scientific info?

What sounds more likely to me is that Republicans believe that the EPA proposed regulations *without* any scientific info to back them up.

I'm in favour of greater transparency of info at all levels of government, AND in science-based laws and regulations.

The caveat, of course, would be that I don't think any added expenses related to such requirements should come out of the existing budget. It should be 'pay-go'. If you want to add reporting requirements, you need to give the EPA the added budget to cover the related expenses of so doing.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Way Beyond Hilarious - in fact Pathetic

The anti-science Republicans want knowledge of the SCIENTIFIC data?

Seriously?

The climate-deniers, the bunch that's still fighting the Scopes Monkey Trial?

The guys who believe the Bible guides mankind on Global Warming?

Why would you give this bunch scientific data? It means nothing to them.
It's all a conspiracy by Obama and secular humanists.

Don't waste your data on nitwits.

Wisdom at the White House.

[Cha]

3. A big FU to the anti- The Environment, goPolluters! Thanks Steve

[vkkv]

4. Republicans are only interested in

making all gov't depts appear more expensive so that the GOP has more reasons to complain about the size of gov't.

That strategy seems to work over and over again.

Voters are idiots.
We may have to let it all break down until we have a full scale revolution.

Let the KXL poison all of those mid-west Red States and see how they like their GOP.

[ReRe]

5. Sic 'em, Mr President!

I don't care what he does, as long as he gives those SOBs a taste of their own medicine for the next two years.

[blkmusclmachine]

6. Meh. Just blame it all on the mean ol' Republicans. They MADE Obama do it!

How's that 11 Dimensional Chess working out for ya, Obama?!?!

[Darb]

7. Your post reads like

weak sauce.

[quadrature]

8. if EPA is shut down...what exactly happens? .nt