NYT BREAKING NEWS: Obama Pulls Back Proposal to Tighten Clean Air Rules

[flpoljunkie]

No link yet except http://www.nytimes.com

[NV Whino]

1. Of course he does.

[Hart2008]

6. OOOPS!! He did it again! NT

[flpoljunkie]

2. Bloomberg has the details...

Obama Asks EPA to Withdraw Ozone Standards

By Roger Runningen and Mark Drajem
Sep 2, 2011 10:58 AM ET

President Barack Obama said he’s directed the Environmental Protection Agency to withdraw proposed rules to limit ozone emissions that lead to smog.

The draft rules have been faulted by Republicans and business leaders who contended the regulations would be too costly to implement. Obama said in a statement he is seeking to reduce regulatory burdens as the economy recovers.

“Ultimately, I did not support asking state and local governments to begin implementing a new standard that will soon be reconsidered,” Obama said today in a statement. The rules will come up for a regular review in 2013, he said.

The EPA’s proposed regulations for ground-level ozone, a main ingredient of smog, would have tightened those issued during President George W. Bush’s administration in 2008. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson had said that those rules wouldn’t stand up to legal scrutiny. The EPA’s proposal would have cost the economy $19 billion to $90 billion, making it the most expensive new regulation under consideration by the Obama administration, according to the White House.

“The Obama administration is caving to big polluters at the expense of protecting the air we breathe,” Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters, an environmental group, said today in an e-mailed statement. “This is a huge win for corporate polluters and a huge loss for public health.”

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-02/obama-tells-epa-to-withdraw-ozone-air-quality-standards-hit-by-republicans.html

[ClassWarrior]

3. "Obama said in a statement he is seeking to reduce regulatory burdens as the economy recovers."

WHAAATTT??? Remind me again which letter is after this President's name?

NGU.

[ProSense]

4. President's statement

Statement by the President on the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Over the last two and half years, my administration, under the leadership of EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, has taken some of the strongest actions since the enactment of the Clean Air Act four decades ago to protect our environment and the health of our families from air pollution. From reducing mercury and other toxic air pollution from outdated power plants to doubling the fuel efficiency of our cars and trucks, the historic steps we’ve taken will save tens of thousands of lives each year, remove over a billion tons of pollution from our air, and produce hundreds of billions of dollars in benefits for the American people.

At the same time, I have continued to underscore the importance of reducing regulatory burdens and regulatory uncertainty, particularly as our economy continues to recover. With that in mind, and after careful consideration, I have requested that Administrator Jackson withdraw the draft Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards at this time. Work is already underway to update a 2006 review of the science that will result in the reconsideration of the ozone standard in 2013. Ultimately, I did not support asking state and local governments to begin implementing a new standard that will soon be reconsidered.

I want to be clear: my commitment and the commitment of my administration to protecting public health and the environment is unwavering. I will continue to stand with the hardworking men and women at the EPA as they strive every day to hold polluters accountable and protect our families from harmful pollution. And my administration will continue to vigorously oppose efforts to weaken EPA’s authority under the Clean Air Act or dismantle the progress we have made.

[flpoljunkie]

14. This kicks the can down the road to 2013 when Republicans may be in control of WH and Congress

Unwavering commitment?

[flpoljunkie]

5. The Hill: White House shelves smog rule in huge defeat for green groups

White House shelves smog rule in huge defeat for green groups
By Ben Geman
09/02/11 10:34 AM ET

The White House announced Friday that it is shelving a major planned EPA regulation that would have tightened smog standards, dealing a huge blow to environmentalists that had pushed the Obama administration to resist industry pressure to abandon the regulation.

President Obama announced that the rule is being shelved in a statement that says the White House is wary of imposing regulatory burdens during the economic recovery.

The decision follows immense pressure from industry groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Petroleum Institute, which lobbied hard against the EPA decision to tighten Bush-era ozone standards.

In a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, the top regulatory official for the administration said President Obama "does not support finalizing the rule at this time."

"The president has instructed me to return this rule to you for reconsideration," Cass Sunstein, the director of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, said in the letter.

more...

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/179357-white-house-shelves-smog-rule-in-huge-defeat-for-green-groups

[Supersedeas]

33. And it doesn't look good that the Oil Sands Pipeline is on a fast track

[dgibby]

7. Doesn't he realize HIS children have to breathe this air, too? n/t

[Davis_X_Machina]

8. Ask...

...the Democratic senators, Joe Manchin and Jay Rockefeller, from West Virginia, and Mark Begich, from Alaska, and Clair McCaskill from Missouri, and Max Baucus from Montana, and Carl Levin - yep, reliable, liberal Carl Levin -- of Michigan, who have been lobbying for this for over a year.

[dgibby]

15. If your children "lobby" you for beer

for breakfast, do you give it to them? For someone who wants to be known for being the responsible adult in the room, he has a funny way of showing it. He's trading the health of the American citizens for seats in Congress? I and several members of my family (none of whom are smokers) suffer from chronic respiratory diseases, and believe me, we are NOT amused (and most of us voted for him).

[Davis_X_Machina]

16. Everything goes through Congress....

...and these people have their hands on the faucet. That's reality.

The signatories on the 2010 letter to Obama are, you will notice, all Democrats -- and not all 'DLC types'.

[dgibby]

21. He wanted the job. He asked us to send him to the WH.

Sometimes you have to do the morally right thing, not the politically right thing. If he'd wanted to play on the "team" he could have stayed in the Senate. He didn't. He wanted to be the team manager. Time to manage.

[ProSense]

18. That was likely a different issue

related to power plants.

[Davis_X_Machina]

22. Not really. Using the EPA regulatory regime as a tool to achieve...

...results like those intended, as a substitute for legislative action, has always been a no-no with those senators. There are others, like Sherrod Brown, whose names aren't on the box, but who support the lobbying effort...

[Armstead]

9. Environment, Meet the bus

[dgibby]

11. Can the pipeline approval be far behind? n/t

[Tarheel_Dem]

10. Since polls show that Jobs are America's #1 concern, I think it prudent

of the president to delay any "perceived" impediment to job creation. Hey, it worked for Bill Clinton.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tarheel_Dem]

20. Take it up with American people? You know the ones caught up in 9.1% UE....

When you say, "wrong choice", do you mean "your choice"? Not sure why the president's choices should have to coincide with yours. Afterall, no one voted for you, right? :shrug:

[Dawgs]

23. Bullshit. Almost EVERY DAY the President choices don't COINCIDE with the Democratic party.

Are you so fucking blind that you have an excuse for every right-wing proposal he makes hoping that it will help him win in 2012?

:eyes:

[Tarheel_Dem]

25. I'm a 4th generation, lifelong member of the "Democratic Party".

If you mean the "activists", you're probably correct. But it's quickly becoming clear that much like the Tea Party, they're further & further out of the mainstream, and continue to marginalize themselves with abandon; one need look no further than poor Cindy Sheehan. I don't presume to speak for the "activists", and I'd prefer you not attempt to speak for me as a member of the "Democratic Party". ;)

"Liberals are also notoriously diverse in ideology and are often seen as ineffective in governing — even by friends and allies. As H.L. Mencken noted last century: “The Liberals have many tails, and chase them all.”

:hi:

[dgibby]

17. Anyone in your family suffering from chronic respiratory

disease? Ever watch someone you love gasping for breath? Know anybody tethered to an oxygen tank? Lose anyone you love to lung cancer or acute asthma attack?

It's not prudent, it's depraved, criminal indifference. He should be ashamed of himself.

[doc03]

13. No surprise there n/t

[indepat]

19. We don't need no effin' clear air, nor clean water either for that matter

:patriot:

[dgibby]

24. Good thing, too, 'cause that's exactly what we're getting. n/t

[alc]

26. Democrats have to prioritorize issues

If "jobs" is the top issue, the administration can't seem to be pushing other issues that can potentially hurt job creation. Even some unions are against these regulations and want the new pipeline built - it's not just Republicans and business against these.

I think Obama wants to come out next week and say "'Jobs' is the most important issue in this country and we will do everything needed to create jobs". He doesn't want to say "'Jobs' is important, but I need to balance it against the environment, health care reform, pro-union legislation, tax increases, etc."

[Harmony Blue]

27. Less government regulations = Less work/hours for those paid

to oversee the regulations.

I am not buying the RW talking points that have invaded the progressive sphere.

[Harmony Blue]

28. DP.

[CelticThunder]

30. Except his jobs plan is already way too little, way too late. No - this is just more capitulation -

Because that's what Obama does.

Capitulates to Repubs, banks, corporations, whoever and whatever is out to screw us.

He capitulates. Always.

He is weak, weak, weak.

[Life Long Dem]

34. There are other ways to create jobs than to build this pipeline.

A pipeline once built benefits the Koch brothers.

[FormerDittoHead]

29. I really hope he doesn't think this will get any Republicans to NOT vote Republican...

I guess our water and air are clean ENOUGH?

There's a certain amount of toxic waste that's OK for us to ingest so some company upwind can make a profit?

Republicans only take this move as vindication.

[brentspeak]

31. It's official: Obama is now more to the right than Richard Nixon was as president n/t

[blkmusclmachine]

32. D or R. What's the REAL difference?

R's take the US to Hell at 100 MPH. D's take the US to Hell at only 90 MPH.