Click Here To Learn More About Ken Blackwell's Environmental Plans For OH!

[hatrack]

:puke:

COLUMBUS - Ohio's top environmental regulator has cautioned Republican state lawmakers against passing a package of business friendly regulatory changes reflecting the ideas of their party's gubernatorial nominee, Ken Blackwell. In a March letter to sponsors of pending House and Senate bills containing elements of Blackwell's proposal for bringing Ohio environmental regulations in line with federal standards that often are less stringent, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Joe Koncelik warned it would endanger the environment and public health, and could even subject the state's water systems to terrorist threats.

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Blackwell has made regulatory changes a pillar of his plan to revive Ohio's ailing economy, with the idea that Ohio's environmental rules are too tough on business. In campaign speeches, he has called for regulatory predictability and to "stop putting risk-taking at risk." But spokesman Carlo LoParo said Monday that Blackwell's premise would not affect many of the Ohio regulations about which Koncelik is concerned. He said, for example, that Blackwell does not necessarily envision reining in Ohio's ability to regulate more air toxins than the 187 controlled under federal law. Ohio currently regulates more than 300 air toxins.

Ohio Environmental Council spokesman Jack Shaner called it extraordinary for Koncelik, an appointee of Republican Gov. Bob Taft, to write such a letter. "For the EPA director from such a business-friendly administration to take such a strong stance speaks volumes about what a radical bill this is," he told The Plain Dealer.

Blackwell countered with studies finding Ohio's environmental policies are some of the most anti-business and anti-job creating in the nation. "At a certain point in this whole process, we have to cut out the foolishness and understand that none of us want poor-quality water or poor-quality air," he told the newspaper. "We're all concerned about the health of our people, particularly our children. But at the same time we're not going to create fiefdoms for runaway bureaucrats, either."

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http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061010/NEWS01/610100343

[phantom power]

1. Wow. Ken is so balanced. And fair.

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[hatrack]

2. And he cares so much about the children. Touching.

No, really. I'm touching myself.

[rkc3]

3. I suppose you are rubbing your temples.

Wondering what the fuck are these guys thinking.

[hatrack]

4. Slapping myself in the forehead at the obviousness of it all

"We need balance in our environmental policies, and evil, evil, EVIL government agencies need to be reined in, and if we'd just let the coal companies and the utility companies and the oil refiners and all the other good-hearted business owners just do whatever they want, I'm sure they'd clean up everything out of the goodness of their hearts.

In fact, I'm calling for a Voluntary Environmental Compliance Summit, so that we can all be photographed while talking about how good a clean environment is!"

:puke:

[rkc3]

5. Didn't bush try that in Texas?

IIRC, something like 8 of the 5,000+ polluters in the state reduced their emissions. bush's rationale was that these people have children too and they would make sure they'd take care of the environment.