EPA’s lack of oversite has put industry profit above public health
A new story posted by the Philadelphia Inquirer http://www.philly.com/ discusses the acts by the Bush administration to limit the effectiveness of the EPA in protecting our environment. The story:
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20081209_Green_Club_An_EPA_Charade.html
is the 3rd article in a 4 part story that highlights how the EPA’s guidelines have been watered down to a point that Olin Chemical, the number one mercury polluter in Tenn. qualifies to participate in an elite environmental program:
” EPA called Olin with an offer. Would the Charleston plant like to be enrolled in Performance Track, an elite green club of the nation’s most environmentally progressive companies?
In return, Olin could expect regulatory breaks, such as fewer inspections and loosened requirements on hazardous waste disposal, not to mention positive publicity.”
Olin chemical owned a chlorine plant located in South Augusta, and it emits over 700lbs of mercury into our water and air a year. What kind of message is the federal gov. sending to the citizens of Augusta, when it tells outdated manufacturing plants like Olin that it’s ok to poison the people that live around its plants? It’s not like the EPA is remaining silent on the subject, which would be bad enough, but they are actively offering these companies “green labels” for their dirty practices.
It’s time for our citizens to stand up and speak with a voice that is loud and clear:
We won’t stand for this pollution tolerant “Environmental Protection Agency” and we won’t stand for big business profits to take precedence over the health of our people.
For more information about Olin and mercury contamination please visit: www.oceana.org
TB
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