Dirty tactics for dirtier air, water and land

Right now the House is preparing spending bills for 2012 for the operations of the federal government. House Republicans are attempting to attach anti-environmental provisions to these bills that are not related to spending. The provisions are meant to relax environmental standards that have been in place for decades in order to increase profits for the coal industry, power companies, chemical companies and oil companies. These provisions are called "riders" because they are attached to major legislation or in this case spending bills so that policies can be changed without having to stand on their own in a floor vote. Here is a short list of the "riders" currently being proposed in the Interior and Environment appropration:

Land

(Sec. 437) offered by Rep. Simpson would permanently limit the ability of citizens to challenge Forest Service land use decisions in the courts.

(Sec. 118) offered by Rep. Simpson would make it more difficult to challenge DOI land use decisions in the courts. 

(Sec. 447) offered by Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) would prohibit EPA from modifying, suspending, or cancelling pesticide registrations because of endangered species impacts.

(Sec. 445) offered by Rep. Simpson would permanently prevent the DOI and the Forest Service from declaring lands near the Grand Canyon off limits for uranium mining.

Wildlife

(Sec. 503) would prevent the EPA from implementing any measures recommended by federal wildlife experts to protect endangered species from toxic pesticides. This would spell disaster for species, including Pacific Salmon, that are already on the brink of extinction due to pesticides and other harms.

(Sec. 119) offered by Rep. Simpson would permanently prohibit the courts from reviewing any delisting of gray wolves under the Endangered Species Act in Wyoming and in the upper Midwest.

Air

(Sec. 462) offered by Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) would delay the EPA from limiting toxic pollution from power plants and delay the EPA from limiting cross-state air pollution.

(Sec. 453) offered by Rep. Steve Austria (R-OH) would block the EPA from setting new mileage standards for cars and from allowing California to do so.

(Sec. 443) offered by Rep. Simpson would permanently weaken regulation of air pollution from offshore oil and gas drilling activities, particularly in Alaska. Among other things, the provision exempts certain sources of air pollution from the Clean Air Act.

(Sec. 431) offered by Rep. Simpson would prevent the EPA from limiting carbon pollution from power plants and other stationary sources.

Water

(Title V) offered by Rep. Simpson wouldpermanently exempt pesticide application from the Clean Water Act.

(Sec. 434) offered by Rep. Simpson would block the EPA from strengthening oversight of coal ash disposal. The EPA was acting in response to the massive release of toxic coal wastes in Tennessee in 2010.

(Sec. 432) offered by Rep. Simpson would block the Department of Interior (DOI) from enforcing safeguards designed to protect streams from pollution from surface coal mining.

These hitchhikers should ethically not be affixed to appropriations or budget bills. These proposals are added stealthily to bills in hopes that most Americans will not see their rights being taken away from them. These "riders" do not have to be debated on the floor and usually do not leave the closed door committee discussions. So protections and rights of Americans are quietly taken away without any public discourse on the issues. Organizations like the EPA and Forestry Department are meant to ensure we have safeguards that protect our health and our national parks for future generations to enjoy.

If these House Representatives truly believe these proposals are good policy decisions why not propose one bill with all these policy changes and bring it to the floor for debate and a vote. Bring it all out in the open so all the Representatives can examine the content of these provisions and the American public can see the actions of their elected representatives. They probably do not want their constituents to see that these proposals are meant to increase profits for their campaign contributors and large corporations at the risk of people's health.

Rep Mike Simpson (R-ID) campaign contributions from: FMC Corp (pesticide manufacturer), IDACORP Inc (holdings in power companies), CH2M HILL, (partnering with chemical and power companies) See more here

Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) campaign contributions from: FMC Corp (pesticide manufacturer), Arch Coal (the nation's second largest coal producer), Marathon Oil, Anadarko Petroleum, Alpha Natural Resources (another coal producer) See more here

Tell your representatives you want clean air, water and land!

Also visit these sites to sign petitions:

NDRC

League of conservation Voters

EDF