New Laws May Let Power Plants Pollute More

[SillyGoose]

By JOHN HEILPRIN, Associated Press Writer
Thu Oct 13,11:50 PM ET

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration proposed new regulations Thursday that could allow the nation's dirtiest power plants to release more air pollutants each year — and possibly undercut lawsuits aimed at forcing companies to comply with the Clean Air Act.

The proposal follows a June federal court ruling that said power plants can throw more pollutants into the air each year when they modernize to operate for longer hours.

...

The EPA proposal affects the nation's 600 coal-burning power plants, which represent 55 percent of the nation's electric generating capacity. Industry officials say the plants are getting cleaner. But they continue to produce millions of tons of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide blamed for smog, acid rain and soot and other fine particles that lodge in people's lungs and cause asthma and other respiratory ailments. They also remain a big source of mercury, which works its way up the food chain after being absorbed by fish.

...

The Bush administration in 2002 and 2003 rewrote how EPA administers a Clean Air Act program that Congress approved in 1977. It was designed to ensure that aging power plants would have to install state-of-the-art equipment if they expanded or modernized in a way that results in significantly more air pollution in surrounding communities.

(more)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051014/ap_on_go_pr_wh/power_plants_pollution;_ylt=AqBRJcdWR.n88M0DFue9pLQD5gcF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--

[Deep13]

1. So, can anyone think of a Bush decision that is NOT designed to screw us?

:shrug:

[SillyGoose]

2. I can't. Scary, huh? (n/t)

[FormerDittoHead]

3. What a turn around for the administration! I'd NEVER think they'd do THIS

If we don't win back in 2006 and especially in 2008, we've got to change the way we're going things...

It shouldn't be close enough for voter fraud to factor in...

[LatinoSocialist]

4. wonderful

Doesn't anybody in the press just go bonkers-angry when writing an article that clearly talks about polluting more. I mean...no one decides it's enough to take the administration to task on?

[pinniped]

5. The EPA is a national disgrace.

One of the first things monkeyboy did was install his crony leavitt, the POS has since went to another * appointed .gov job.

This is the same crap they proposed years ago when they first stole the office. No surprise these assholes are trying it again.

Remember the credits crap? A company that pollutes more can buy credits and use them from a company that pollutes less. Therefore polluting more. Makes perfect EPA sense to me.:crazy:

This is more of the "I can do WTF I want and here's a big FU at the same time!"

[nashville_brook]

6. rec'd -- and here's why -- BAD AIR DAYS

knoxville and the smokey mountains can't TAKE any more pollution. right now the trees are dying at high elevations and the air quality is SO BAD that theres air quality warnings posted on the amber alert/road congestion signs -- "AIR QUALITY WARNING -- PLEASE CAR POOL" -- nice message to see on your morning commute...when you're already in your car.

it used to be that only THIRD WORLD cities had to alert the population to BAD AIR DAYS. now it's knoxville, nashville and all the little mountain towns in between.