OH NO!!-Cheney Quietly Maneuvers Increased Control Over Environmental Policies

[rodeodance]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/08/cheney-regulatory/

Cheney Quietly Maneuvers Increased Control Over Environmental Policies

The White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is a “super-powerful office” that reviews all major federal regulations of “non-independent federal agencies” on a range of issues, from workplace safety to water quality. OIRA and agency representatives regularly often meet with “outside stakeholders” to solicit opinions on regulations.

Vice President Cheney’s office has recently taken an interest in these meetings. In June, ThinkProgress noted that lobbyists for major polluters visited the White House to lobby against tighter smog standards. At that time, Clean Air Watch observed how unusual it was for a representative from Cheney’s office to attend that meeting:

Also sitting in on that meeting was a representative of Vice President Dick Cheney, long considered the go-to guy for big industries opposed to tougher environmental standards. … It’s pretty rare for someone with the Vice President to sit in on a meeting like this. It suggests that industry has really sought to elevate this politically.

This incident was not isolated. As OMB Watch notes, OIRA has “held more than 540 regulatory review meetings since February 2002.” Prior to Feb. 2007, Cheney’s office attended just three meetings; since that time, it has attended eight: .......

[mod mom]

1. IMPEACHMENT-way past due! Come on Dems before he does further damage!

[countingbluecars]

2. We can't afford to wait 'till 2009.

Impeach now!

[rodeodance]

3. k

[Tellurian]

4. Cheney will be steering Green programs for control

of new businesses cropping up because of deep environmental concerns from within the Repuke Party. Going "GREEN" is proffering huge business potential. I'm sure he'll want regulation in place facilitating some type of legislative control steering towards Republican owned entities of which he will benefit handsomely.

[lurky]

5. Strategic airstrikes against the environment?

"The environment has not responded to diplomacy. The environment refuses to stop its threatening behavior. Top members of al Quaeda have been seen in the environment. If we do not stop the environment now, it may be too late. Frankly, we are out of options and out of patience with this recalcitrant, rogue force, the environment."