Department of Homeland Security just suspended the Clean Air Act.

[Beelzebud]

Get ready folks. The storm is just beginning.

[rox63]

1. WTF???

What's this bullshit about???

[aquart]

10. More sulphur in the diesel for one.

Standards suspended until September 15.

Truck driver work hour rules suspended.

[aquart]

18. Boil water? With gasolene in it?

30,000 National Guardsmen.

1700 trucks to deliver water.

10,000 emergency medical beds.

Aw, Air Force One did its flyover.

The first thing they talked about was gas supply, according to ABC commentators.

[ewagner]

2. Huh?

Why?

What does that have to do with NO?

Or is something else brewing?

[ck4829]

3. Details please, and a link if you have one.

[Beelzebud]

5. Watching the live press conference on MSM

[Wickerman]

4. link please

[Beelzebud]

7. No links yet. It was just said in a live press conference on MSNBC

Head of the EPA made the announcment.

[Wickerman]

14. thanks, gee, I am looking forward to reading that

not.

[texpatriot2004]

6. Are you serious? Where's the link? Why would they do that?

I mean I think it's a joke but why would they suspend their fantastic (Sarcasm on) plan?

[progmom]

8. not as dire as you suggest. more info here:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/08/31/bush.oilreserve.ap/index.html

The Environmental Protection Agency, seeking to avert a severe supply crunch, announced it would temporarily allow the sale of higher-polluting gasoline in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi because those states can't provide enough fuel to consumers that meets Clean Air Act requirements.

The agency also said those states will be allowed to use motor vehicle diesel fuel with a sulfur content higher than the 500 parts per million standard for the next two weeks through ozone season.

[SlipperySlope]

11. I agree with these actions.

People need fuel to get through this.

[Nikki Stone 1]

12. If it is temporary for the emergency, then I can understand why they might

do it. Of course, this administration is so morally bankrupt that I immediately mistrust their motives.

[Beelzebud]

13. Well to be fair, they were extremely vaugue when they announced it.

They literally conveyed as much info as I did...

[drfresh]

15. EPA head just expanded it to all 50 states

Until Sept 15, per the "homeland security" news conference going on now.

[sandnsea]

17. Where's it coming from?

I don't understand. If a fuel doesn't meet EPA standards, it shouldn't be produced. Why are they starting now?

[cally]

20. Different states have different fuel standards

depending on the pollution problems in that state. California has stricter fuel standards than most of the country. I think we do need to ease the standards for a few weeks in some markets. I don't understand why we should ease standards in California.

[Nikki Stone 1]

22. I don't either, cally. Not sure what good easing restrictions here would

do.

[durablend]

21. I'm assuming this means

The rule about there being 30 (35?) different "boutique formulas" of gasoline will be temporarily suspended.

Seems like a smart idea, but a better idea would be to pick out one (or a few) or the "best" (lower polluting) and use those permanently throughout the 50 states instead of the hodge-podge we have now.

[Syncronaut Seven]

23. It means they can burn red farm/ag offroad diesel, on road.

the difference between farm diesel and road diesel is basically the sulfer content.

Normally if you got caught burning off road diesel on the road you would face substantial fines and possibly jail.

Makes sense to me, won't cause anywhere near the harm that the current flood induced oil slick will.

Just don't burn it in your Mercedes, the higher sulfer content is very hard on combustion cylinder walls, exaust valves and exaust systems.

If you have one of the first wave of diesel catylitic converters, high sulfer fuel will kill it and void your warranty, be advised.

[sandnsea]

25. That must be it

That makes sense. I remember back in the 70's, my grandfather, a farmer, said he never had any problem getting fuel, rates weren't raised, and his tanks were always full. So yes, suspending the laws on farm fuel would make sense.

[Cato1]

27. This "temporary" waiver

...will eventually become permanent. The environmentalists in Congress should go up in arms over this.

[CabalPowered]

9. Waivers valid through 9/15/05

Covers sulfur content and volatility.

[Zuni]

16. If this is temporary in affected areas only, then I can agree

this is a major emergency and fuel supplies are needed immediately

[Beelzebud]

19. Now that more info is out, this doesn't appear as sinister as it first

seemed.

During the live announcment they worded it very poorly and didn't explain what exactly they were doing.

[sandnsea]

26. I agree

If it is just the farm fuel thing, that's no big deal. I had thought how crazy to suspend the environmental rules that are causing the increased intensity of these storms in the first place. But it's not so bad if it's just a few weeks in the gulf states.

[Cassandra]

24. How about this?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-schlesinger/take-a-deep-breath_b_6506.html

"The Washington Post's Juliet Eilperin got hold of draft rules the administration is preparing that would allow coal-fired power plants to actually increase their pollution output."