Zones"

Quote :

"Bill Would Let E.P.A. Relax Rules for Cleanup By MICHAEL JANOFSKY Correction Appended WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 - The Environmental Protection Agency could suspend any law governing air, water or land in responding to Hurricane Katrina under a measure introduced Thursday by the chairman of the Senate environment committee. The legislation, which drew immediate criticism from environmental groups, would create a 120-day period in which the agency's administrator, Stephen L. Johnson, could waive or modify laws if it became "necessary to respond in a timely and effective manner" to a situation created by the storm. The proposal would allow changes in law at the discretion of the Bush administrator in consultation with the governor of "any affected state." "This legislation is purely about providing E.P.A. the clarity and certainty it will need down the road to ensure a timely and effective response," said Bill Holbrook, a spokesman for the chairman, Senator James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma. Mr. Holbrook added, "As Administrator Johnson indicated yesterday, there are a number of uncertainties remaining, and we, as well as the administration, do not want those uncertainties to delay actions that affect people's health." The proposed legislation was introduced shortly before President Bush addressed the nation from New Orleans, outlining his vision for rebuilding areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, where floodwaters have left enormous areas of environmental degradation."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/16/national/nationalspecial/16enviro.html?pagewanted=print

I don't know if this is such a good idea...

9/16/2005 10:41:31 PM

[old]
Heard this on the radio, the EPA lifted the restrictions two weeks ago, of its own valition. I guess congress is just backing it up with supportive legislation.

[Edited on September 17, 2005 at 1:05 AM. Reason : ...]

9/17/2005 1:03:51 AM

soooo... what exactly does this accomplish?

9/17/2005 1:17:59 PM

Companies can temporarily ignore a few particularly troublesome EPA restrictions.

For example, lifting the EPA gasoline summer additive requirements allows refineries to produce gasoline faster by cutting corners.

Also, allowing the city/county/state to dump untreated runoff into the Gulf of Mexico is a requirement in this situation.

Normally, they are pumping out rain water, while it is obviously not clean it doesn't have sewage mixed in with it. Well, the water currently flooding NO is loaded with sewage, making it a federal crime to pump it directly into the environment. The agencies involved were going to pump anyway, treating that water just isn't possible. But without this legislation they were going to have to pay millions of dollars in fines just as Fayetteville and other cities did after hurricane Fran flooded the region and the areas treatment plants didn't keep up.

9/17/2005 10:25:14 PM