Big industries try to block limits on pollution

[babylonsister]

Big industries try to block limits on pollution

Associated Press
March 6, 2008


WASHINGTON - Big industries are waging an intense lobbying effort to block new, tougher limits on air pollution that is blamed for hundreds of heart attacks, deaths and cases of asthma, bronchitis and other breathing problems.

The Environmental Protection Agency is to decide within weeks whether to reduce the allowable amount of ozone - a component of smog - in the air.

A tougher standard would require hundreds of counties across the country to find new ways to reduce smog-causing emissions of nitrogen oxides and chemical compounds from tailpipes and smokestacks.

Groups representing manufacturers, automakers, electric utilities, grocers and cement makers met with White House officials recently in a last-ditch effort to keep the health standard unchanged. They argued that tightening it would be costly and harm the economy in areas that will have to find additional air pollution controls.

Oil and chemical companies also have pressed their case for leaving the current requirements as they are in meetings on Capitol Hill and with the Bush administration. A dozen senators and the Agriculture Department urged EPA not to tamper with the existing standard.

more...

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-te.dirtyair06mar06,0,2232999.story

[bdamomma]

1. kick

[BB1]

2. Surprised? Who? Me?

Not at all, unfortunately.

[texanshatingbush]

3. Good economic times or bad.....these guys don't want to do the right thing!

Think about it. They ALWAYS squeal "this will harm the industry and the economy", regardless of whether we are in good economic times or bad.

If the feds kept tightening regulations, so that we don't ultimately make the entire planet uninhabitable, you'd think that alone would create a growth industry of finding ways to make everything "cleaner".

I guess greed will always prevent change from occurring, and we will continue to move to a Soylent Green reality.

Unless, of course, we the people demand it and hold our elected representatives accountable for ensuring that it gets done.

Which will happen right after they restore the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

sarcasm thingie ON