Panel Relaxes Environmental Protections

[DUreader]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3380843,00.html



WASHINGTON (AP) - Some environmental
protections in major road-building projects would
be relaxed under legislation approved by a Senate
committee, while states would be prevented from
regulating lawn-care equipment emissions under a
separate Senate provision debated Wednesday.

California and other states want to curb emissions
from lawn mowers, chain saws and other devices
with small engines. However, Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo.,
wants to protect 5,100 jobs in his state with
Wisconsin-based engine maker Briggs & Stratton
Corp. and suppliers.

The Senate Environment and Public Works
Committee, in a 17-2 vote, approved measures to
ease smog standards, cut 10 years off the
requirement to consider a project's 20-year
pollution impact and let states go ahead with
projects despite lapses in meeting federal air
quality standards, all as part of a six-year, $255
billion transportation bill. The Bush administration
and a House Republican committee chairman
proposed spending less than that.

Another provision in the bill - which goes next to
the full Senate, probably early next year - would
require the 50 states to set aside nearly $1 billion
for projects to reduce stormwater pollution.