GOP Puts Environmental Rules on Chopping Block, Post Katrina/Rita

[kerrygoddess]

GOP Puts Environmental Rules on Chopping Block, Post Katrina/Rita
September 27th, 2005

The GOP is never lacking in excuses or twisted logic to roll back environmental protections. It’s the crux of their agenda, to bolster the holdings of the energy giants that bankrolled the Bush cabal. They are at it again, this time with the excuse that rolling back environmental protections will help the U.S. recover from hurricane damage. The only recovery it might bring about will be lining the pockets of the oil and gas industries who already made record profits this year, while the prices at the pump for consumers keep going up… up… up.

Environmental groups are decrying the latest move from House Republicans.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Resources Committee are holding separate meetings to finalize legislation on Wednesday, with the aim of combining them into a single energy bill for the full House to debate next week.

The resources panel, led by Richard Pombo of California, wants to lift a ban on Florida offshore drilling, promote oil shale and sell a dozen national parks for energy development.

“This really has very little to do with the hurricanes or relief efforts or even refiners. This is deregulation pure and simple,” said John Walke of Natural Resources Defense Council.

Texan Joe Barton’s energy committee wants to expand U.S. gasoline production by loosening federal rules that limit pollution when refineries or coal-fired power plants are expanded. U.S. gasoline supplies have tightened since hurricanes Katrina and Rita roared across the U.S. Gulf Coast, closing up to one-fourth of the nation’s refining capacity.

MORE & LINKS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=701

[mom cat]

1. It is just like after 9-11...using tragedy for political opportunism.

We must scream to our democratic leaders to LEAD! Damn it. we are the majority, we won the last elections. The Dems better seize the moment or they will be lost forever. The repuke mask is cracked now, but the repukes have done wonders with PR blitzes and I am afraid that if we do not draw a line in the sand and stand up to the bullies on this, the militarization of America, etc that they will keep stealing ground!

[nicknameless]

2. These guys love disasters.

They use them as excuses to implement all kinds of nefarious plans

[kerrygoddess]

3. It's even deeper than that...

they are the disasters.

[nicknameless]

4. LOL

True!