EPA quietly attempts to radically change pollution rules

[Veronica.Franco]

EPA quietly attempts to radically change pollution rules


Kate Raiford
Published: Monday June 12, 2006


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CHICAGO -- During the cleanup after Hurricane Katrina, local officials and the Environmental Protection Agency depended on one source to find hotspots of toxic chemicals: a database known as the Toxic Release Inventory.

"This was the only information they had to identify toxic chemicals of any kind in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina," says Clayton Northouse, an information policy analyst at OMB Watch, a nonprofit government accountability group.

Until a few weeks ago, the inventory was to be slashed to comply with the Federal Paperwork Reduction Act. The EPA said they were gutting the 20-year-old database to save paper. What they didn't say was that the decision would dramatically reduce pressure on polluters.

Under the plan, companies would report biannually instead of annually and would only have to report toxic releases of more than 5,000 pounds. Currently, the EPA requires reporting of any releases greater than 500 pounds.

"During the off year, they could release any toxic chemical without having to report it," Northouse said. "There's already an 18-month delay."

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/EPA_quietly_attempts_to_radically_change_0612.html

Pure insanity ...

[sweetheart]

1. there must be more to it?

Can they release, legally, 5000 pounds of sarin VX gas? Can they release 5000 pounds of Cyanide?
It boggles the mind the number of chemicals that are poisonous in small dosages, and these
are now to become unregulated... talk about sick.

The war on drugs has them imprisoning people for growing flowers, when entire cities are at risk!

[bananas]

2. Under the proposal, they would be able to release more than 5000 lbs

as long as they reported it two years later.

[goforit]

3. OMG!.....This is just so tragic.

[AuntiBush]

7. It's Past Tragic.

It's a damn sin!

[aquart]

4. If they depopulate the US by killing us off, what do they win?

Sometimes I think that even if I spend my money, I'll still have my money. Do the Republicans believe they can ravage America and still have America?

[EFerrari]

5. They behave as if the laws of physics -- or nature, for that matter --

don't apply to them.

Maybe the Mothership IS coming for them. :shrug:

[Swede]

6. Fucking par for the course with this administration.

They cannot do anything decent.

[AuntiBush]

8. Pure Insanity is Right!

kicked

[young_at_heart]

9. Bush.....the polluters' best buddy!

Just HOW "dramatically" will this reduce the pressure on polluters? And....where is the outrage?

[Robbien]

10. The EPA is allowing pollution, and the FCC is giving away the air waves

Our government is working for the elite corporations while we pay the bills.

[LifeDuringWartime]

11. should be immediate!

that sort of info should be immediately reported, followed by immediate cleanup! :wtf:

[OneBlueSky]

12. the underlying truth here is that contemporary society produces . . .

tons and tons and tons of highly toxic wastes in massive business ventures ranging from hog farming (waste pits) to ssurface mining (slurry pits for chemicals to clean coal) . . . and then there's nuclear waste . . . all in the cause of saving a few bucks and reporting a couple cents more profit (or less loss) to shareholders . . .

the issue that must be addressed -- and will be sooner or later, whether they like it or not -- is the production of these wastes in the first place . . . our goal must be neutral environmental impact on the part of humankind . . . that will never happen until the people regain control over corporations . . .

corporations were designed as a tool to help humankind better manage its affairs . . . over time they have taken on a life of their own, and emerged as most powerful and infuential entities on the planet -- and, worst of all, without conscience . . . if they are not stopped, they will not rest until every last resource is used up, the environment is completely fouled, and Earth becomes uninhabitable for humans and many other species . . .

[Veronica.Franco]

13. Just write a letter to Karl Rove ... address it to the White House ...

Say you want to do whatever you want for the right price ... and wah LAH ... corruption and pollution ... the door swings wide open ...

[DainBramaged]

14. They are raping and pillaging before the election in November

they must know something we don't.

[JudyM]

16. We're going to have a helluva lot of cleanup to do; let's hope we get the

Senate, too, so we can impeach the psychochimp.

[The Stranger]

15. Everyone is dying for their greed; a poisoned people, a poisoned planet.

[Uncle Joe]

17. They should change their name to CPA Corporate Protection Agency,

lest they get sued for false advertising.

[leftchick]

18. rename it: The Environmental POLLUTER Agency!!!

"grr:

[pinniped]

19. This is the same way they've been 'protecting' us with since....

the assholes' stole the (s)elections and filled the EPA with their corporate crony assholes.

These freaks of nature are truly disgusting.

[Tsiyu]

20. I've been having trouble accessing the USDA database

of plants. And last night, while following a link to the Georgia Protected Plants list, the pages were all gone :shrug:


Our environment is suffering under Repukes, at a time when we can least afford to ignore it.

[Phillycat]

21. I wondered what was being ignored in favor of Rove/Zarqawi

It's this sort of thing.

[warrens]

22. This is why Repukes win elections

The wads of money will start flowing if this becomes law.

[Veronica.Franco]

23. In order to win an election you have to be willing to destroy ..

the enviroment ... they don't get they are destroying themselves too? ... and all our futures ...

What will it take for people to get disgusted, march on Washington, and throw the bums out ... I'll bring plenty of sturdy rope ...