Congress: Mercury levels in fish? "Crying WOLF!"

[Bluebear]

WASHINGTON - Dangers of toxic mercury pollution in the environment have been overstated, the House Resources Committee says in a report issued in anticipation of new regulatory proposals from the Bush administration.

The report, written by aides to the committee's majority Republicans and being released Wednesday, also says no link between mercury from coal-burning power plants and levels of mercury in fish has been scientifically established.

"After an exhaustive review of all the science surrounding the mercury debate, it is clear that some special-interest groups are crying wolf," said the panel's chairman, Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif.

The report said mercury levels in fish have remained constant or declined slightly since the 1970s. "Scaring people away from consuming fish is creating a public health crisis in its own right," it said.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=541&ncid=541&e=6&u=/ap/20050216/ap_on_he_me/mercury_pollution

[Liberal Veteran]

1. Next up: Lead and Arsenic in tap water counteracts mercury pollution!

:eyes:

[StClone]

2. Clear skies and Healthy Forest

And smiling fish. Republican's wrote this review. Do you trust health professionals or(R)s that want to protect the Energy and Coal Lobby? HHHHhhmmmmmm? And removing an entire mountain top is done without much environmental degradation.

[politicaholic]

3. Congress: "Mercury is good for you, like Gamma Rays were for the Hulk."

[1monster]

4. Sounds like the tobacco industry speil after the surgeon general's

report in the early sixties and all the way into the nineties. "There is no scientific proof that cigarette smoking is harmful to your health." "There is no scientific proof that nicotine is addictive." etc.....

[RobertSeattle]

5. Hmmm. Pombo's Top Contributors are...

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00007516&cycle=2004

1 Copeland, Lowery & Jacquez $11,500
2 Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal $11,000
3 Associated Builders & Contractors $10,000
3 ChevronTexaco $10,000
3 National Auto Dealers Assn $10,000
3 UNITE HERE $10,000
7 Anadarko Petroleum $9,500
8 National Assn of Realtors $9,000
9 SBC Communications $8,500
10 National Mining Assn $8,159
11 Farm Credit Council $8,000
11 Greenberg, Traurig et al $8,000
13 Carpenters & Joiners Union $7,500
13 Edison International $7,500
13 National Assn of Home Builders $7,500
13 Wal-Mart Stores $7,500
17 EDO Corp $7,000
17 National Rural Electric Cooperative Assn $7,000
19 El Paso Corp $6,895
20 National Cattlemen's Beef Assn $6,331

Yep, No Mercury there!

[Bluebear]

6. Great portfolio

Thanks Robert, you're right. No Mercury there, nothing to see!

[dave123williams]

7. The MINUTE we start looking to those DOUCHEBAGS for what is or

...isn't 'good science'....well, that'll be the day.

[spanone]

8. Science is fiction to these heartless fucks. I'll buy them a fish sandwich

[MisterP]

9. Republican logic:

mercury really worse than thought, WH pressures scientists into saying otherwise = mercury is overblown
just like
EliLillyPfizerBonerWhatever acknowledge that they knew SuperHappyPeppyosarine caused kidneys to try to crawl out the body cavity = there's no problem with the drug

[Viking12]

10. The National Academy of Science is a special interest group? n/t

[karlrschneider]

11. And today Oklahoma health officials warn of eating locally caught fish

http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0205/207736.html