Associated Press: “Stymied in Congress, the Obama administration is moving unilaterally to clamp down on greenhouse emissions, announcing plans for new power plants and oil refinery emission standards over the next year.”
Hot Air: “it’s not just the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s minority contingent that fears the loss of nearly a million jobs from new EPA rules on greenhouse gases and other emissions issues. It’s also groups like the United Steel Workers, Unions for Jobs and the Environment, and experts like King’s College Professor Ragnar Lofstedt.”
See “Obama jobs death toll: EPA wreckage and drilling moratorium aftermath.”
hollandsentinel: “New Environmental Protection Agency regulations treat spilled milk like oil, requiring farmers to build extra storage tanks and form emergency spill plans. Local farming advocates says it’s ridiculous to regulate a liquid with a small percentage of butter fat the same way as the now-infamous BP oil spill.”
Fox News: “The federal government has been slapping ‘energy-efficient’ ratings on products that don’t even exist — including a bogus space heater with a duster stuck to it and an alarm clock supposedly powered by gasoline. These fake products were submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy for approval as part of an undercover investigation by the Government Accountability Office.”
Contractors beware! The federal lead police get more power beginning April 22, 2010. If you thought remodeling a home is expensive now, wait until your contractors must hire EPA-certified workers. GreenHouse.com: “On April 22, the Environmental Protection Agency is slated to enact rules requiring EPA certification for contractors working 0n homes built before lead paint was banned in 1978. The rule, aimed at limiting exposure to lead, applies to carpenters, plumbers, heating and air conditioning workers, window installers and others.” See the EPA’s announcement that states:
Beginning next month, federal law will require that contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified in the new EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP) and follow specific work practices to reduce human exposures to lead.
Common renovation activities like sanding, cutting, and demolition can create hazardous dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint, which can be harmful to adults and children. To protect against this risk, on April 22, 2008, EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe practices and other actions aimed at preventing lead poisoning. All contractors must be trained and certified by April 22, 2010.
Landlords, property managers, and their employees are responsible for ensuring compliance with the rule and play an important role in protecting public health by helping prevent lead exposure from their housing units. Lead-based paint was used in more than 38 million homes until it was banned for residential use in 1978.
Lead exposure can cause reduced IQ, learning disabilities, developmental delays and behavioral problems in young children.
To locate an EPA-accredited training provider or to learn more about protecting your family from lead-based paint, visit EPA’s Get Lead Safe Web site or contact the National Lead Information Center, 1-800-424-LEAD (5323).