Chairman Upton's Bill to Handcuff the EPA
3/15/11 | | 1 comment
Make no mistake about it, this is a dark day for the planet. A bill that will take away the EPA's ability to regulate greenhosue gas emissons sailed through Chairman Fred Upton's Energy and Commerce committee.
Here's what some House members in opposition to the bill had to say:
The bill "codifies science denial," said Rep. Henry Waxman (D., Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House energy committee.
Rep. Edward Markey (D., Mass.) criticized the bill for blocking the EPA from developing greenhouse-gas standards for model-year 2017-2025 cars and light trucks, as well as boats, trains and airplanes.
It looks as if we will have to wait and see what the White House's next move will be.
The US Forest Service's motto
The US Forest Service's motto is "Caring for the Land and Serving People" . How is it that the US Forest Service drops retardant from airtankers on fires when they know retardant is toxic - the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service admitted that toxic retardant dumped on forest fires threaten the existence of dozens of federally protected species of plants and wildlife. In the two most comprehensive Endangered Species Act opinions in history, both agencies exhaustively documented the environmental threat posed by these chemicals. Last year 99.93% of all chemicals dropped by airtankers on fires was retardant (11 million gallons). There are environmentally responsible alternatives, but those companies don't employ 3 senior ex US Forest Service employees like the company that makes retardant does - coincidence?