quote:

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EPA Eases Clean Air Rule on Power Plants

The Bush administration yesterday approved a major rollback of clean air enforcement rules for the nation's oldest and dirtiest power plants in a move hailed by industry leaders but bitterly criticized by environmentalists and some lawmakers.

For the first time, thousands of aging coal-fired power plants, oil refineries and factories will be able to upgrade their facilities -- and extend their operational lives -- without having to install costly anti-pollution equipment previously required under the Clean Air Act.

Eric Pianin, The Washington Post

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Good thing Mr. Bush went to his various national park photo ops now while he could still see them.
 

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Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
 
Total fucker.
 

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Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
 
Read that in the USA Tody....

But all those, what, 17,000 plants will run better....
 

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Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
 
Yeah...(cough)...they...(wheeze)...will.

Care to bet the owners of those dirty plants don't live in the towns they operate in?
 

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Posted by Cartmaniac (Member # 256) on :
 
"But all those, what, 17,000 plants will run better...."

Short-term thinking.
 

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Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
 
Oh, yes, the USA Today article did also say safer...

How narrow of my thinking....
 

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Posted by Cartmaniac (Member # 256) on :
 
Shutting them down and building new plants would also be safer AND cleaner AND more cost-effective fifty years down the road. At best, the upgrades have bought those heavily polluting facilities another twenty (?) years of operation, after which they'll have to be replaced ANYWAY. Narrow? Nah...
 

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Posted by Jay the Obscure (Member # 19) on :
 
I hate it when he's right.
 

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Posted by Styrofoaman (Member # 706) on :
 
On the one hand this is very good news as I can now dump pentane fumes directly into the enviroment rather than paying $750,000 a year on filters that get... dumped into the enviroment!

Sad sad sad thing is... they don't see "In 50 Years" anymore, it's all about short-term growth and inflating the stock-price to meet stockholder goals. Short term being "A bonus today is worth more than the entire company tomorrow."
 

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Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
 
Let's see...posion a landfill with chemical filters or the air we breathe for miles and miles?
Tough decision for those poor chemical plant owners but whatever saves them money, right?
 

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Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
 
and out of those saving donations to politicians are made...
 

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