Senator (Inhofe) Wants EPA Rules Eased for Katrina

[meganmonkey]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Legislation that would allow the Environmental Protection Agency to temporarily suspend or relax its rules because of Hurricane Katrina is being prepared by the Republican chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

The proposal is being readied despite EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson's assurance he has no immediate need for any regulatory waivers. Johnson gave a closed-door briefing Wednesday to the committee's chairman, Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma, and other committee members.

---snip---

A preliminary draft of Inhofe's bill proposes giving the EPA administrator power for 120 days to ``waive or modify'' any of EPA's laws and regulations if it's thought to be ``necessary to respond, in a timely and effective manner, to a situation or damage relating to Hurricane Katrina.'' Governors of affected states would have to be consulted, but the EPA administrator would have final say, according to the draft bill, still being worked on.

Environmentalists denounced the emerging proposal. ``Here comes the mother of all environmental rollbacks,'' said Frank O'Donnell, president of the Clean Air Watch advocacy group. ``This could become a blank check for big polluters. It would also be a terrible precedent.''

more...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5280826,00.html

So what is THIS all about? EPA says they don't need it - is this just an excuse to let industry pollute?

[phantom power]

1. That would be a "yes."

Just like they used it as an excuse to cut workers' wages, and proceed with abolishing the estate tax.

[aquart]

2. A GOOD government would...

use this as an opportunity to inspire competition for most effective, safest, most environmentally-friendly clean-up methods. How does it help New Orleans to maintain and enhance pollution with so much toxicity already?

Answer: it doesn't. Katrina is being exploited by the Republicans to make more profit for their donors. SHAME!

[Democrat 4 Ever]

3. Is this just for the Gulf Coast region or will the easing of regulations

apply nationwide? Just wondering.

Lowering wages guaranteed through Davis-Bacon, no-bid contracts, partisan investigation and now lowering of EPA regulations - is there nothing they won't do for their corporate buddies?

[meganmonkey]

6. It sort of looks like the Gulf region only, but it is very vague

and I have a feeling there is plenty of room for other states' industries to take advantage...

:(

[Shakespeare]

4. Inhofe is an evil, venal little man.

I wish him ill in every sense of the word.

[Stand and Fight]

5. Has to be from Oklahoma...

Thank God I am only living here temporarily!

[tulsakatz]

9. Oklahoma is not so bad..........

actually Oklahoma is a nice place to live......I've lived here most of my life. It's just that our politicians are a major embarassment!!

I couldn't believe Coburn's emotional speech the other day.....why votes for these guys? It certainly wasn't me!!

[Blue_Tires]

7. Inhofe in the most dangerous man in the senate (environmentally)

he even thinks global warming is some kind of scam

[OneBlueSky]

8. Katrina opportunism . . . let's see, thusfar they've gone after . . .

- prevailing wage laws
- the ban on "separate but equal" education
- environmental protection laws
- bidding requirements for FEMA contracts

wonder what's next . . . :banghead:

[rodeodance]

10. well, then he and his family should live and work in the area then!

[jus_the_facts]

11. There's no such thing as an EPA....hasn't been one for 5 years.....

....they allowed the entire coast of Louisiana to be covered in a blanket of millions of gallons of CRUDE....Lake Ponchatrain...and the GULF are HUGE OIL SLICKS...and they'll do the bare minimum if anything to RECTIFY it....as with all the other regulations the EPA was created for...all DESTROYED! :cry: