NRDC - Bush II Worst Environmental Admin. In 15 Years, Will Get Worse

[hatrack]

"The Bush administration's environmental enforcement record is the worst in 15 years and promises to get poorer during a second term, according to environmental organizations that analyzed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency civil lawsuits and penalties. The $56.8 million in civil penalties collected during fiscal 2004 is the lowest amount since 1990, the Environmental Integrity Project and the Natural Resources Defense Council said yesterday.

More telling may be a decline of 75 percent in the number of lawsuits filed over the last three years against companies for violating federal environmental laws, compared to the previous three years of the Clinton administration -- from 152 cases to 36. Eric Schaeffer, Integrity Project director and former EPA civil enforcement chief, said he expects four more years of "lax federal enforcement" and an administration proposal to break up the EPA's central enforcement office.

He also said that state environmental agencies and citizen lawsuits will have to "step in" to tackle the most egregious violations.

EDIT

Schaeffer said the administration is taking credit for cases settled or started by the previous administration but has filed few of its own. EPA records cited by the environmental groups show that Clean Air Act enforcement actions had declined from 61 cases filed in the last three years of the Clinton administration to nine filed in the first three years of the Bush administration. John Walke, director of NRDC's Clean Air Program, said the EPA will likely cut back its enforcement efforts against large industrial air pollution emitters even more than it did during Bush's first term by continuing to cut enforcement budgets."

EDIT

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04315/409489.stm

[idiosyncratic]

1. I joined the NRDC the other day even though I have no money.

I live on a fixed income, but thought it was worth it to add my $10.00 to their fight.

[OrwellwasRight]

2. Good for you.

I have been a member for years (also on the minimum membership plan). I know their work well, and your money will not be wasted!