Senate Fails in Bid to Block Bush Mercury Plan

[Dover]

Senate Fails in Bid to Block Bush Mercury Plan

By J.R. Pegg

WASHINGTON, DC, September 13, 2005 (ENS) - The Senate today narrowly defeated a resolution to block the Bush administration’s controversial plan to cut mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants.

The 51-47 vote upholds a federal rule that permits a mercury emissions trading program, which critics contend violates the Clean Air Act and fails to address the serious public health and environmental concerns associated with the toxic metal.

"The rule is not based on sound science," said Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, "and it will harm human health and the health of our environment."

..cont'd

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/sep2005/2005-09-13-10.asp

[rodeodance]

1. another example of an immoral government at work!

[rodeodance]

4. "pecial interests over the health of the American people." (Leahy)

Senator Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat and cosponsor of the resolution, said the Senate action "let some healthy sunshine into the Senate to exposed a flawed rule that puts special interests over the health of the American people."

"This was a debate that powerful special interests had been able to prevent, until now," said Leahy. "We have garnered more support than anyone thought possible just a few months ago when we began this effort."

Debate on the measure reflected sharp disagreement about the Bush administration’s mercury plan - divisions that breach party lines.

Six Democrats joined 45 Republicans in voting against the resolution; nine Republicans, 37 Democrats and the Senate’s lone Independent supported the measure. ........

[Erika]

2. Bush has no problem in poisoning us

None at all.

[madfloridian]

3. Six democrats joined the Republicans in doing this.

I saw their names this afternoon somewhere. The usual suspects.

[rodeodance]

5. Sen Ihofe of OK said resolution was a waste of time!! what a jerk!

......U.S. Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma, who chairs the Senate Environment Committee, said the resolution was a waste of time.

[rodeodance]

6. BTW--Ihofe is the one who wants to suspend air quality controls in the

Gulf during reconstruction.


This man is dangerous.

[rodeodance]

7. Jeffords says that language for the EPA rule came from the coal industry.

.....Supporters of the resolution say that reversal is a clear violation of the Clean Air Act and noted that development of the mercury policy was littered with controversy.

Large passages of the draft rule were lifted verbatim from industry memos and a report by the EPA Inspector General found that senior agency officials manipulated the development of the mercury rule in order to favor the emissions trading plan.

In addition, the Government Accountability Office determined the EPA’s economic analysis of the mercury rule was seriously flawed and violated the agency’s own policy guidelines.

The facts point to "an intentional and illegal effort to circumvent the law … designed to benefit big energy companies at the expense of the public," said Senator James Jeffords, a Vermont Independent.

[Erika]

8. Sword fish sold at stores exceed mercury levels

and no one cares. Under W, profits rule. The hell with consumers.

[dcfirefighter]

9. Dems who voted against:

Baucus (D-MT)
Byrd (D-WV)
Conrad (D-ND)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)

Reps who voted for
Alexander (R-TN)
Chafee (R-RI)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Gregg (R-NH)
McCain (R-AZ)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Sununu (R-NH)

Not Voting
Hatch (R-UT)
Rockefeller (D-WV)

[hollowdweller]

10. Byrd and Rockefeller

Were probably afraid of the GOP using a vote for it as ammo in negative ads in WV to try to siphon off UMW votes.

The sad thing is there was a large coal fired plant where I used to live in WV and we had a lot of trouble with acid rain, paint peeling off the side of the house, and I don't know a study has been done but anecdotally there is a lot of spina bifida in the community near the plant, John Amos Power Plant. Oh yeah, you can't eat the fish in the Kanawha River that the plant sets beside either.

[PunkPop]

11. Speaking against the war is the ONLY thing Byrd is good for

This is the umpteenth time I have seen him side with Republicans in their agenda to fuck-up America.