Yes, if you are a nerdy DC hill-watcher like me then today surely does qualify for the label Carba-geddon, since the House, Senate and White House are all making decisions about whether or not the EPA should be able to protect public health from carbon pollution.
The House is expected to take up Fred Upton's Asthma Aggravation Act (aka HR 910) which legislates science out the window and blocks the EPA from reducing carbon.
The Senate will also be voting today on several EPA-blocking amendments to the small business bill.
And the White House still isn't saying if it will veto the spending bill Congress has to pass this week if it includes riders to block the EPA. As the National Journal reports this morning,
But still, Obama’s top climate aide, Heather Zichal, would not say what the administration’s position is on the three Democratic amendments expected to get votes, which could be added to a budget bill. The White House is not willing to take a position on those less sweeping measures, and officials within the administration and in Senate Democratic leadership are carefully choosing their words in order to leave the door open if and when the opportunity comes to compromise.
So who is behind all this pressure to block the EPA?
Polluters.
If you look at which groups are coming out on which side of this issue, its a pretty clear line-up. The "Congress Should Vote for More Pollution" list is pretty well stocked with polluters. The "Congress Should Not..." list includes health, environmental, consumer, low-income, Latino, faith, business and science groups (among others) as I've mentioned before.
| Should Congress Vote for More Pollution and to Block Public Health Protections? |
|
| YES | NO |
| American Chemistry Council | Alliance for Climate Protection |
| American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity | American Academy of Family Physicians |
| American Forest & Paper Association | American Academy of Pediatrics |
| American Iron and Steel Institute | American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine |
| American Petroleum Institute | American College of Preventive Medicine |
| Brick Industry Association | American Heart Association |
| CropLife America | American Lung Association |
| Industrial Minerals Association | American Public Health Association |
| National Association of Manufacturers | American Rivers |
| National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors | American Thoracic Society |
| National Lime Association | Breakthrough Technologies Institute, Inc. |
| National Mining Association | Children's Environmental Health Network |
| National Oilseed Processors Association | Clean Air Watch |
| National Petrochemical and Refiners Association | Clean Water Action |
| The Aluminum Association | Climate Protection Action Fund |
| The Fertilizer Institute | Community Action Partnership |
| U.S. Chamber of Commerce | Consumers Union |
| Defenders of Wildlife | |
| Earth Day Network | |
| Earthjustice | |
| Energy Action Coalition | |
| Environment America | |
| Environmental and Energy Study Institute | |
| Environmental Defense Fund | |
| Environmental Integrity Project | |
| Friends Committee on National Legislation | |
| Friends of the Earth | |
| GREEN DMV | |
| Green For All | |
| Greenpeace USA | |
| Jewish Council for Public Affairs | |
| Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) | |
| League of Conservation Voters | |
| League of Women Voters of the United States | |
| Metropolitan DC Thoracic Society | |
| National Assembly on School-Based Health Care | |
| National Association of County and City Health Officials | |
| National Association of Local Boards of Health | |
| National Audubon Society | |
| National Consumer Law Center, on behalf of its low income clients | |
| National Consumers League | |
| National Latino Coalition on Climate Change (NLCCC) | |
| National Parks Conservation Association | |
| National Physicians Alliance | |
| National Wildlife Federation | |
| Oil Change International | |
| Pew Environment Group | |
| Physicians for Social Responsibility | |
| Public Citizen | |
| Safe Climate Campaign | |
| Solar Energy Industries Association | |
| Southern Environmental Law Center | |
| The Wilderness Society | |
| Trust for America's Health | |
| Union of Concerned Scientists | |
| US Climate Action Network | |
| Voices for Progress | |
| World Wildlife Fund | |
| 1,882 Doctors, Nurses other Health Professionals [View Statement Here] | |
| 160 Michigan Scientists [View Statement Here] | |
| 315 Environmental Entrepreneurs [View Statement Here] | |
| Small Business Majority | |
| 2,500 Scientists | |
And in the states, there are hundreds more organizations that have publicly stated opposition to Congress blocking the EPA. You can see lists here and here.
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