Sue and Settle: How the EPA Replaces States with Environmental Groups

American Legislator ^ | 10-22-13 | John Eick

[ThethoughtsofGreg]

Earlier this year, the American Legislative Exchange Council released a report titled The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Assault of State Sovereignty that documents the EPA’s ongoing attempts to seize more and more environmental regulatory authority from the states.

One trend that the report highlights is the rise of so-called EPA “sue and settle” agreements. As it currently stands, the EPA has more mandates that it can handle due to limited resources and manpower. With sue and settle, the EPA has figured out a way to cut states out of the process and instead negotiate the agency’s priorities with environmental special interests.

Here’s how it works: An environmental litigation organization like the Sierra Club sues EPA for failing to meet a deadline for regulatory action pursuant to the Clean Air Act or Clean Water Act. Instead of challenging the suit, both EPA and the environmentalist groups immediately engage in friendly negotiations, which lead to a settlement that determines a deadline. By dictating how EPA should use its limited resources, these sweetheart settlements effectively render official policy.

[hadaclueonce]

EPA, sue and settle.

Kind of sounds like Jessie Jackson.

The Apple does not fall far from the Tree.

EPA has to go.

Damn you Nixon.

[Adder]

It is time to kick these people out. To ignore them and when they sue, refuse to respond to them. Nullify them and make them stop.

Yes that IS what I am saying. If its done in state after state,,,,one individual or small state won’t work.
Yeah you have to quit sucking the money nipple.

But wouldn’t freedom be worth it?

[molson209]

EPA will keep everyone in the towns and cities ,right where Obama and the Dems want them

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

So essentially , the EPA through mutual "sweetheart agreements" with the suing organization answers to 'special interest' organizations ,
and bypasses the legitimate governmental agencies .
Cute policy !
I'll bet the EPA sets up the "sweetheart agreement" even before any threatening litigation
and says "please sue us so we can implement this policy."
Prior to this administration , I wouldn't have expected such underhanded tactics ; now ,.. I expect it !

[smokingfrog]

related

http://susancombs.com/news/using-sue-and-settle-thwart-oil-and-gas-drillers

[PATRIOT1876]

* To ignore them and when they sue, refuse to respond to them. Nullify them and make them stop. *

“DEFUND DEFUND DEFUND THE EPA!”

[Adder]

I agree but this won’t come out of DC anytime soon. The house is licking their ballz like dogs who have been kicked. They have no stomach to fight like we all want them to do.
All zero and reid have to do is scold them like children and they cower like children. No help out of them I am afraid.
Its going to takes states, a consortium of state perhaps ad hoc groups of states to stop these fascist power grabs.