Pentagon Launches Attack on Nature

[paineinthearse]

PENTAGON LAUNCHES ATTACK ON NATURE: The Pentagon is on its fourth try at getting Congress to "loosen major environmental laws to allow military training exercises around the country to proceed unimpeded." Pentagon officials are claiming that the changes are "essential to preserve the quality of training and to avoid lawsuits over possible violations of statutes." In congressional testimony from last year, however, a senior Pentagon official was unable to provide any "examples of complaints involving existing environmental laws." Furthermore, the Defense Department is already "widely regarded as one of the nation's leading polluters, producing vast amounts of chemicals from ordnance that leach into groundwater, as well as air pollution from military vehicles. The Environmental Protection Agency lists more than 130 Superfund sites on military bases." A spokesperson with the Natural Resources Defense Council noted that, "Congress would never consider letting the nation's biggest corporate polluter off the hook. Why, then, would Congress grant immunity to America's, and the world's, largest polluter?"

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/11/politics/11enviro.html

May 11, 2005
Pentagon Is Asking Congress to Loosen Environmental Laws
By MICHAEL JANOFSKY

WASHINGTON, May 10 - After three unsuccessful tries, the Pentagon is asking Congress again this year to loosen major environmental laws to allow military training exercises around the country to proceed unimpeded. Military officials say the requested changes, which could be approved this week as part of the defense authorization bill for 2006, are essential to preserve the quality of training and to avoid lawsuits over possible violations of statutes that govern air, water and waste. With more than 100,000 American military personnel in Iraq, training issues have taken on a heightened sense of urgency, giving the request a better chance of passing this year despite opposition from environmental advocacy groups and state and local governments.

"Workarounds, while sounding reasonable and feasible, cannot sacrifice realistic combat training," Paul W. Mayberry, a deputy under secretary of defense, said in a speech last month, referring to interruptions to military exercises. "All too often, such workarounds chip away at basic fabric and underpinnings of the training objectives." Mr. Mayberry cited several examples, including the way troops headed for Iraq learned to roll up their tents, a security issue at night because of the way light reflects off the material. In training, he said, they were faced with "an environmental requirement" not to disturb desert tortoises in the training area.

Dozens of groups have complained to Congress that the military's needs are covered by the laws that they seek to change and that waivers would result in conditions getting worse on and around the nation's military bases, endangering the health of millions of people. As the owner of 425 active bases and more than 10,000 training ranges, the Defense Department is widely regarded as one of the nation's leading polluters, producing vast amounts of chemicals from ordnance that leach into groundwater, as well as air pollution from military vehicles. The Environmental Protection Agency lists more than 130 Superfund sites on military bases. "Congress would never consider letting the nation's biggest corporate polluter off the hook," Heather Taylor, deputy legislative director for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a conference call with reporters. "Why, then, would Congress grant immunity to America's, and the world's, largest polluter?"

Since 2001, the Pentagon has been asking Congress for greater latitude in complying with environmental laws. When it came to birds and animals, lawmakers were willing to compromise, granting exemptions to federal laws. But they have been more resistant to changes that might affect human health under the Clean Air Act; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, dealing with solid waste; and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, which deals with toxic wastes and is better known as the Superfund law. A request for changes under those statutes is before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has yet to take it up, and the Senate Armed Services Committee, which is expected to finish a bill by Friday.

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[chlamor]

1. And on Everything Else

The most important issue of our lives is how to shrink the Pentagon and prevent it from destroying Planet Earth. Every other issue at this point is insignificant compared to this and many are connected to and dependent on the defunding of the worlds greatest polluter and the worlds most murderous entity-The Pentagon.

[applegrove]

2. Mother Nature has had the biggest, most exclusive monopoly the

world has ever seen. And she does not respect private property rights. Look at how she gave so much Oil to brown people. Look at all the water that went to Canada.

A complete and utterly inefficient way to distribute resources. Why if we let her be..she will keep sending those pinko effete cappuccino drinking Europeans warm weather. Everybody knows the gulf stream belongs to America. Those dandy health care lovers should have to pay for the heat the gulf stream brings to them from the Americas. And since they refuse to... we will just have to turn the gulf steam off. See how fast they start helping out with the 'oil' wars then.

A couple of nukes set off in mid Greenland and the tap is turned off. (Also blue states drown).