Carl Hiaasen: Florida fights for rights of polluters. Sues the EPA.

[madfloridian]

Our completely totally GOP controlled state is going officially nuts now. They are going to sue the EPA for wanting to put clean water rules into effect. Adam "Opie" Putnam as Ag commissioner is helping the new AG Pam Bondi fight the good fight against clean water.

As usual Carl Hiaassen has his finger on the problem, pointing out the stupidity and the inanity.

Florida fights for rights of polluters

Farms, mills and municipalities that use Florida waterways as a latrine got more good news last week from their stooges in Tallahassee. The latest battle to stop the enforcement of federal pollution laws will be paid for by state taxpayers.

Outgoing Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson — backed by Attorney General Bill McCollum — has sued to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from imposing revised clean-water standards for Florida’s rivers, creeks and lakes.

Standing stoically in support of the polluters, McCollum and Bronson say the new water rules are too costly, and based on flawed science (interestingly, data provided by the state itself). Endorsing that lame position are their successors, Attorney General-elect Pam Bondi and Agriculture Commissioner-elect Adam Putnam.

To hear all this whining, you’d think the EPA had ambushed Florida businesses with the new water regulations. Not even close.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/12/11/1968178/florida-fights-for-rights-of-polluters.html#ixzz17vm46gOQ

[Drale]

1. I will just never ever understand this mind set

don't they know they have to live on this earth to. Even some rich people think they are better then everyone else, they need clean air and water just like the rest of us humans.

[spanone]

2. profit over life....a human characteristic

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. Florida is Libertarian.

It's a great big secret. Easy to do in a state that is undereducated and full of Seniors who don't think it's there worry, anymore, about what happens to the state twenty years out.

[madfloridian]

8. They don't care about preserving the planet. They only care about profit.

And FL is in their total control now.

[lpbk2713]

3. Putnam will make Bronson look like a tree hugger.

Opie will do whatever is required of him to please the big agribusiness interests.

[madfloridian]

4. Exactly right.

And it is to agribusiness interest not to have that flowoff of water too closely regulated.

[Starry Messenger]

5. k&r

[indimuse]

6. KNR! n/t

[csziggy]

9. How many tourists wioll want to come to Florida when we've poisoned our waters?

They should consider how much the mere idea that oil would be polluting the beaches hurt tourism this past summer. If pollution is dumped into the waters and flows into the oceans around this state, tourism will die.

And how about the growing eco-tourism trade that relies on clean waters and a healthy environment for the wildlife the tourists want to see?

We're stuck with a state government full of idiots and I am afraid what they will do to our state.

[madfloridian]

10. There are NO checks and balances in FL now at all.

None. They can do whatever they want to the schools, the environment, and the pension funds.

They are in effect untouchable.

[DirkGently]

11. Go, Carl. Not that it's likely to help. And what a surprise, McCollum backs the money.