“The climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all.” Pope Francis
Congressman Thomas Massie has joined a Republican colleague from Florida in introducing legislation aimed at eliminating the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
This federal agency created in 1970 by President Richard Nixon is tasked with protecting human health and the environment, ensuring that all Americans are protected from significant risks to their health and the environment where they live, learn and work.
Since its inception EPA has had some laudable successes. From regulating auto emissions to banning the use of DDT; from cleaning up toxic stream waste to maintaining the ozone layer in order to limit UV radiation; from increasing recycling to revitalizing former contaminated industrial sites, EPA’s achievements have resulted in cleaner air, purer water, and better protected land for all citizens.
Much work remains.
Kentuckians continue the battle against mining and industrial pollution, contaminating our air, land and streams, increasing rates of cancer, chronic disease and birth defects. An estimated 8,000 brownfields remain across the Commonwealth. These are contaminated, unusable sites such as old gas stations, vacant factories and hospitals and meth labs, abandoned due to real or potential contamination.
According to the Courier-Journal, the Commonwealth has been awarded at least $600 million in EPA grants to support Kentucky projects such as air quality monitoring, improving drinking systems, natural habitats and cleaning up these brownfields.
The EPA awarded roughly $1.4 billion worth of contracts and $9.6 billion in grants in 2013, the latest year for which data was available, according to the government spending website InsideGov.com. grants These funds are used to support private, state and municipal level environmental testing, clean-up and innovative projects. States, especially Kentucky with our current budget woes, can ill afford to lose these EPA funds.
Now there is a bill to abolish the agency.
Congressman Massie maintains that “the EPA makes rules that undermine the voice of the American people. . .” Perhaps the American people, particularly Kentuckians, should raise their voices louder, demanding continued federal sponsorship in steps to a non-toxic neighborhood.
Eliminating the EPA, with its environmental standards and clean-up assistance, is a short
sighted strategy that will denigrate the environment and lead to poor health outcomes across
our nation.
JoAnn R. Schwartz
Ft. Thomas, KY 41075
Rep. Massie has done nothing for Northern Kentucky or his country since he has been in office. His method of governing seems to be jump up and down and yell NO, NO, NO like a two year old. He is not a team player. He fought against John Boehner when there was an opportunity to get some work done on the bridge and he voted against Paul Ryan for Speaker. A record like that is simply counterproductive, both to his career in Congress and our district. When will Northern Kentucky wake up.
Primary him or find someone great to primary him. Who do you know that would be a better rep? Who would be a great candidate? Who has OUR interests above all else, isn’t in the pocket of the NRA or any others lobbyists, and wants to govern and not burn all government to the ground?
Thank you for this letter. We will not be able to even physically live in a country of nearly 400 million people if there are no rules. Today, powerful chemicals are on sale everywhere that were unknown in the days of the founders. Demands for energy, radioactive materials and clean-ups of places like the Chesapeake Bay need scientists and experts, not ideologues getting votes from the uninformed. Huge industries have proven that they cannot police themselves and do not set standards high. Keep our children safe.
And the state legupislature just passed a bill to allow coal companies to dump waste into streams. And do you know where those eastern and western streams will end up? In our rivers and our drinking water. Shameful!