John Mica Hearts Water Pollution

Rep. John Mica is the sponsor of the Clean Water for Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011. What the bill does is strips the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate clean water standards. Mica is doing this under the pretense of state rights.

To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to preserve the authority of each State to make determinations relating to the State’s water quality standards, and for other purposes.

Clean Water for Cooperative Federalism Act passed in the House of Representatives.

As it is written, the bill would roll back several provisions of the Clean Water Act, and essentially bans the EPA from noting whether or not a proposed project would be detrimental to lakes, streams or wetlands. The bill would also significantly impact the agency’s ability to comment on federal permits affecting water quality or public health.

Mica's bill will probably never get a vote. I don't say that because I am confident that Senate Democrats will stand up for environmental rights. The current Senate is so dysfunctional that nothing gets passed. Even when there is bipartisan consensus, Sen. Jim DeMint will place a hold on a bill.

Mica's bill does point out how radical the Republican Party has become on environmental protection. The GOP is no longer the conservationist party of Teddy Roosevelt.

A Win For Florida's Environment

Gov. Rick Scott fought against the EPA clean water standards for the Everglades. U.S. District Judge Alan Gold has taken away Florida's right to handout pollution discharge permits and given the right to the Environmental Protection Agency. Gold's ruling comes down hard against Florida.

"Protection of the Everglades requires a major commitment which cannot be simply pushed aside in the face of financial hardships, political opposition, or other excuses," Gold wrote. "These obstacles will always exist, but the Everglades will not — especially if the protracted pace of preservation efforts continues at the current pace."

Gold was not pleased with Scott fight to allow more phosphorus in the water.

As further proof of the state's resistance to EPA water quality standards, Gold cited Gov. Scott's recent instructions to the DEP to petition the EPA to rescind its limits on nutrients in Florida waters - basically limits on how much phosphorus, mostly from farm runoff, is allowed in Florida waters.

Gold noted an executive order signed by Scott in January, which suspends all rule-making by state agencies, would likely hamper the state environmental agency's ability to create rules to enforce water quality standards.

It appears the federal government will have to step in to enforce clean water regulations. What I like to know is how does Rick Scott think allowing more phosphorus into the water will create new jobs? Is Scott aware phosphorus is used to make nerve agents?

The Gas Commission

Three months from now we won't hear anything about the Gas Commission investigation. Anyone really believes the Justice Department will prosecute an energy company. There hasn't been a major SEC investigation of any of the major financial institutions involved under President Barack Obama's watch. These companies needed bailout money because they hid their losses through off-the-books accounting practices. The New York Federal Reserve withheld announcement of a AIG credit swap exchange with.

"Do you think it might be feasible to hold off on the Maiden Lane III 8K and press release until next week?" Brett Phillips, a New York Fed lawyer wrote in an e-mail [to AIG counsel]. "The thinking is that the Maiden Lane III closing will be a less transparent event, and it might be better to narrow the gap between AIG's announcement and the New York Fed's publication of term sheet summaries."

Former New York Reserve chairman Tim Geithner was paying AIG 100 cent on the dollar of taxpayer money. No interest was charged. Geithner then went on to become Treasury Secretary.

I have no faith in the Obama administration cracking down on energy companies.

Update: another reason I doubt the White House will crack down is because it purposely sent out bogus numbers on the BP spill.

On 4 August, Jane Lubchenco, the NOAA administrator, demanded that the White House issue a correction after it claimed the "vast majority" of BP oil was gone from the Gulf.

A few days earlier, Lisa Jackson, the head of the EPA, and her deputy, Bob Perciasepe, had also objected to the White House estimates of the amount of oil dispersed in the gulf. "these calculations are extremely rough estimates yet when they are put into the press, which we want to happen, they will take a life of their own," Perciasepe wrote.

The financial crisis and Gulf spill gave the White House the opportunity to do the right thing. The White House felt protecting corporate interests is more important than the environment or taxpayers. The Obama administration bleeds neoliberal. People should stop kidding themselves that Team Obama is most concerned about the people.

AFGE Urges Members Not to Vacation in Florida

John O’Grady, president of American Federation of Government Employees, told members not to vacation in Florida because of its right to work policies.

“In a show of solidarity with our brothers and sisters, we are also recommending that any employees that do vacation, boycott those states that have taken anti-labor or anti-union positions such as Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin,” the AFGE statement said, according to Politico this morning.

The American Federation of Government Employees represents employees of the Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago.

The Florida Chamber of Commerce is lobbying the Florida legislature to pass the Payment Protection Act. The legislation would forbid union members from voluntarily given a portion of their paycheck to their unions for political activities. The legislation is merely designed to bust up unions.

Senate DEMs v. EPA

Change you can believe in: Sen. Harry Reid and Jay Rockefeller are working on getting the votes needed to delay the Environmental Protection Agency's climate regulations for two years.

A vote on Rockefeller's plan would be merely symbolic as the Democrat controlled House has no plans to take up this measure, which also faces an insurmountable veto threat by the White House.

Rockefeller's reasoning for the lame duck session vote is so Republicans in the next Congress don't go for further than two years. This makes no sense whatsoever. All this vote accomplishes is getting Senate Democrats on-record voting against curbing greenhouse emissions. Reid will still be majority leader in the next Congress. If Reid was a real leader he would keep his caucus in line. What Reid and Rockefeller are signaling to House Republicans is the Senate Democrats can be rolled over on environmental regulations.

Rockefeller's actions make sense when viewed through the prism of campaign contributions. Peabody Energy, American Electric Power, General Electric, CONSOL Energy and Allegheny Energy are listed on OpenSecrets.org as Rockefeller's all-time contributors. Reid doesn't have near the energy industry influence on him. Reid knows his caucus members receive contributions from major energy players and he doesn't want that influence being swayed to Republicans. This vote is all about money.

Democrats want to know why the base stayed home in 2010. Stupid votes like this are the reason.

Sharron Angle Not Ready For Prime Time

Republican candidate finally faced a reporter. Angle was asked about her campaign web site positions of eliminating Social Security and the EPA. Another question of about Angle's infamous "Second Amendment rememedies" against the government. Angle attempted to deny her positions. She eventually walked out of the interview.

Ohh That Smell

George Stephanopoulos asks what is the GOP plan for dealing with global warming. House Minority Leader John Boehner declared talk about greenhouse emissions "almost comical." Boehner's scientific prove that greenhouses gases are not man made or a threat to the environment is cow farts.

"The idea that carbon dioxide is a carcinogen that is harmful to our environment is almost comical. Every time we exhale, we exhale carbon dioxide. Every cow in the world, you know when they do what they do you've got more carbon dioxide."

Boehner is reduced to using cow farts to support his pro-bussiness anti-environment stance. Boehner's argument isn't even new. Scientists have attempted to measure how much methane a cow release. Below is a photo a a plastic tank strapped onto a cow's back. You can guess where the hose goes.



The Environmental Protection Agency wrote, "According to scientists, atmospheric build-up of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases as a result of human activities is changing the composition of the Earth's atmosphere and tending to warm the planet."

* Human activities are changing the composition of Earth's atmosphere. Increasing levels of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere since pre-industrial times are well-documented and understood.
* The atmospheric buildup of CO2 and other greenhouse gases is largely the result of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels.
* An “unequivocal” warming trend of about 1.0 to 1.7°F occurred from 1906-2005. Warming occurred in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and over the oceans (IPCC, 2007).
* The major greenhouse gases emitted by human activities remain in the atmosphere for periods ranging from decades to centuries. It is therefore virtually certain that atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases will continue to rise over the next few decades.
* Increasing greenhouse gas concentrations tend to warm the planet.

We must find clearer fuel. Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is encouraging the private sector to invest in wind, solar and wave power. A wind farm in St Lucie County is in the works. The plan has been put on hold because the potential site is near beachfront property. Florida alternative energy companies are leaping at the opportunity Crist has given. There is money to be made in creative forms of energy. Boehner and other Republicans are firmly embedded into Exxon Mobil lobbying money.

Quote of the Day

"It’s not a clean-cut division. If you have studied at all creationism vs. evolution, there’s theistic or God-controlled evolution and there’s variations on all those themes."

Stephen Johnson, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.