EPA Turns Out The Christmas Lights

Michigan Capitol Confidential ^ | 12/28/2011 | Russ Harding

[formosa]

More jobs lost, higher electric bills, less food on the table and the EPA is just getting started. I expect to see the economy worsen in 2012 between healthcare and the EPA.

[KoRn]

The EPA needs to be erased from our government.

Unfunded - shutdown.

The next republican president could effectively do it with the stroke of a pen by simply firing all of the employees and not paying their utility bills. That’s how easy it is. If they say otherwise, they don’t really mean it when they speak against the EPA.

[cripplecreek]

My electricity already costs me more than 3 times what it did 10 years ago.

[Hoosier-Daddy]

Economic Treason

[cripplecreek]

Natural gas is also the preferred heating fuel for homes in most areas of the U.S. However, utilizing it will require vast quantities of the fuel, which is likely to have an escalating effect on future prices.

They could start by lifting the great lakes drilling ban and supply the midwest while easing the pressure elsewhere.

[digger48]

My electricity already costs me more than 3 times what it did 10 years ago.

................................

Since Dec 21, 2003

Must be the FReeping. : )

[Jonty30]

The EPA is on Perry’s list of the big three government agencies to shut down.

[Revel]

If whoever becomes the next president does not deal with the EPA, then they are not worth much. We need to reduce them to a crew of about 5 people.

[vpintheak]

Nope. That could possibly make sense, and we can’t have any of that. Screw people, the earth must be saved!

[SumProVita]

In other words,

NO mercury (not the slightest bit) allowed to produce electricity but...

....bulbs filled with mercury to burn in each home.

“The first effect of not believing in God, is that you lose your common sense.” ...GK Chesterton

[cripplecreek]

State geologists estimate that approximately 30 wells could be directionally drilled under the Great Lakes. Directional drilling, sometimes referred to as slant drilling, is performed at an angle, allowing placement of the well head onshore rather than on a drilling platform in the lake. While director of the Department of Environmental Quality in 1996, I (Russ Harding) was approached by companies interested in exploring for oil and gas under the Great Lakes. I asked the Michigan Environmental Science Board (a group of scientists, mostly from universities, with environmental and natural resource expertise) to study whether directional drilling under the Great Lakes posed any threat to natural resources.

The Board concluded: "[T]here is little to no risk of contamination to the Great Lakes bottom or waters through releases directly above the bottom hole portion of directionally drilled wells." The Board went on to say: "There is, however, a small risk of contamination at the well head." The board made recommendations on steps that could be taken to mitigate any impact to the Great Lakes from the well head, including locating the wells at least 1,000 feet from the shoreline and implementing proper waste disposal measures. Before the ban, eight wells had been directionally drilled under the Great Lakes without environmental harm.

Great Lakes Directional Drilling Ban Should Be Lifted

They passed the stupid ban on the backs of photos of offshore oil rigs in the gulf and pictures of oil soaked sea birds, neither of which have anything to do with drilling for natural gas under the great lakes.

[The Antiyuppie]

There was a time when I thought that this agency could be rolled back to its functions in the 80’s, but now I think it needs to be completely eliminated, all it’s employees fired (and barred from reapplying), and restarted with the limited mission that it was designed to do.

By now, probably everyone down to the bathroom attendants there are wackos.

[formosa]

If only an intelligent person like yourself was in charge miracles would happen.
Used to live in Michigan and with the exception of Detroit, I loved it. I wish they would drill there. It was a family friendly state for the most part and I would hate to see it go the way of California.

[marty60]

When people start throwing away the “new” mercury contaminated squiggly light bulbs. I wonder if the mercury released by millions of bulbs will equal the coal plants.

[cripplecreek]

Funny thing is that we drill for oil all over the place in Michigan. There are working wells in every single county of the lower peninsula. Lots of drilling going on here in southeastern Jackson county these days but natural gas is where its at.

[cripplecreek]

20 years down the road the government will be seeking billions in cleanup funds from all the mercury in the landfills.

[marty60]

OH, no doubt about that!

[FrdmLvr]

They’re aiming for a 90% reduction in mercury at coal burning plants? What about the new light bulbs??? I believe that’s the next move by the EPA: once all the incandescent lights are used up, they will strictly limit the use of the new bulbs because of their mercury content. They want us sitting in the dark, folks! They want us using 15th century wind technology and no electric lights or electricity! Except for them - because they are an integral part of society. Let’s take back our country before it’s too late.

[skr]

Change...bah, humbug!