EPA Moves to Ease Air Rules for National Parks and Wilderness Areas

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: Washington Post

The Environmental Protection Agency is finalizing new air-quality rules that would make it easier to build coal-fired power plants, oil refineries and other major polluters near national parks and wilderness areas, even though half of the EPA's 10 regional administrators formally dissented from the decision and four others criticized the move in writing.

Documents obtained by The Washington Post show that the administration's push to weaken Clean Air Act protections for "Class 1 areas" nationwide has sparked fierce resistance from senior agency officials. All but two of the regional administrators objecting to the proposed rule are political appointees.

The proposal would change the practice of measuring pollution levels near national parks, which is currently done over three-hour and 24-hour increments to capture emission spikes during periods of peak energy demand; instead, the levels would be averaged over a year. Under this system, spikes in pollution would no longer violate the law.

In written submissions, EPA regional administrators have argued that this switch would undermine critical air-quality protections for parks such as Virginia's Shenandoah, which is frequently plagued by smog and poor visibility....

***

While limiting pollution in national parks does not have the broad public health implications of federal air-quality rules that govern soot or airborne lead pollution, it has symbolic and ecological importance. The four major pollutants affecting the parks -- sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and mercury -- contribute to degrading once-pristine habitats that Congress sought to preserve for generations when it decided to protect those areas....

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/18/AR2008111803813.html?nav=most_emailed

[snooper2]

1. Another rule for Obama to reverse...

he's got his work cut out for him...

[ailsagirl]

3. You got that right-- the EPA needs to be totally rebuilt with truly

environmental people. All the true environmentalists left long ago (under Bush)-- what's left is the dregs and they obviously don't give a damn. Can't wait for the EPA to start doing what it's SUPPOSED to do, for a change!! Once staffed with the RIGHT people, it should flourish. :)

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Every day since Election Day, more and more things, in so many areas...

come to mind that will finally, thankfully, change!

[ailsagirl]

10. YES!!! I'm sure we haven't even THOUGHT of all the things, either

We've been so immersed in the slime that is bush for the last 8 years that it's taking some re-thinking to realize all the things that Obama (when he can-- he's got a ton of things to do) will change BACK and even IMPROVE!!

:bounce:

[soothsayer]

2. Sounds like 'drill baby drill' is next on the agenda

[bobd0]

7. Yep: Bush to future generations, "Drop dead." nt

[Lorien]

5. Bush's Environmental plundering agency needs a complete overhaul

if anyone needs any more evidence that BushCo is NOT full of Christians, this is just one more items to add to the list. Real Christians take stewardship of the earth seriously and don't have utter contempt for "God's creation".

[ailsagirl]

11. Barack will see that it's fixed-- along with all the other federal agencies

I know he will. What a relief!!

[Lorien]

17. I hope you are right-but he is, after all, a pro-corporate centrist

it's all wait and see at this point.

[bushmeister0]

18. It's not as easy as all that.

See here:

Politico:

"While executive orders and rules that are not yet in effect can swiftly be reversed or altered by Obama’s appointees or his own executive orders, rules that go into effect before he takes office will be extremely difficult to undo. Rescinding a rule would require the new administration to re-start the rule-making process, which can take years and prompt legal challenges. Another strategy that has been talked about lately – getting Congress to disapprove the rules through the Congressional Review Act — carries political risks and has been used only once before."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15758.html

See Propublica's full list of Bush's midnight regulations and their current status:

http://www.propublica.org/special/midnight-regulations/

[ailsagirl]

19. I shudder to think... I should have said that at least we will have a

SANE person in the White House-- for a change. :)

[davhill]

6. Grandfathered?

I wonder if the corporations start building before Jan 20 and Obama can undue the reg, will they be considered grandfathered in?

[medeak]

8. shit...couldn't see Grand Canyon while standing on North Rim

as it is.... (thanks southern CA)

[formercia]

9. Just in time for snowmobile season.

It's all about money.

[XemaSab]

12. This is EXACTLY why power plants are built in Arizona and not California

You can't site any sort of emitting plant in this state, due to the presence of Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Redwood, Lassen, Lava Beds, Death Valley, Mojave, Pinnacles, and so forth.

[Turbineguy]

13. I seem to recall this happened before

Contracts were cancelled because the head of the EFA was in violation of the law. Also it would seem that some Bush appointees have detected distinctly chilly wind blowing their way and decided to try and keep their cushy government jobs...

Those looking to sign contracts in the interim may not want the bad press that will come their way. Of course Bush and Cheney's buddies may be immune to that sort of thing.

[Robb]

15. Yeah, I can't imagine anyone with half a brain

ponying up for new plants that would fit under this rule, considering who's in the big chair in DC.

[Turbineguy]

14. Dupe- deleted

[katty]

16. ease air rules?!!! geezus

[ailsagirl]

20. Just amazing, isn't it?? At least his tenure is drawing to a CLOSE

and I never want to hear or see any of those people again. What a nightmare!! :puke:

How ever did we stand it???

:shrug: