Posted on 09/07/2006 5:00:55 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON
A bill to crank up penalties for the nation's most polluted air regions both in California was introduced Thursday in the Senate by Congress' biggest skeptic of global warming.
A week after reacting angrily to California's passage of landmark anti-global warming legislation, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., produced a bill to more than double fines on polluters who don't meet cleanup deadlines for soot and smog. States that don't require them to clean up could be denied federal highway funds.
Democrats and environmental activists accused Inhofe, who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee, of retaliating against California.
Inhofe has said that manmade global warming could be "the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people." He called the bill the California Legislature passed last week to reduce greenhouse gases "feel-good legislation to appease liberal special interest groups."
A spokesman for Inhofe said his bill was already in the works before California lawmakers passed theirs.
"While this bill is not a response, it does expose the hypocrisy of their climate initiative," said Inhofe spokesman Matt Dempsey. "This bill will clean up real air pollution; it will save thousands of lives and result in tens of billions of dollars saved, unlike the California global warming bill."
California isn't mentioned in Inhofe's bill, but it applies to areas that don't meet strict attainment standards for ozone and particulate matter. The only two areas of the country that meet that description are the Los Angeles basin and the San Joaquin Valley.
The bill drew an angry response from Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who is in line to become the top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee next year. "I can only conclude that this legislation is punishment for my state's groundbreaking, bipartisan global warming bill," she said.
Frank O'Donnell, director of Clean Air Watch, called Inhofe's move "a political stunt by the Senate's biggest champion of big polluters."
The California global warming plan, a deal between Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative Democrats, would make California the first state to impose a limit on and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Sweeet!
LOL
Now the Californians have to be opposed to cracking down on pollution.
I may have to break out a cigar and fire it up in protest.
Sounds like the correct thing to do. Are the Democrats against reducing pollution? Why are they against this bill?
The greenies are suddenly against putting teeth in policies and cleaning up the environment. My my, this is an interesting turn of events.
OK, I understand. Liberal govt. officials don't give half a crap about environmental cleanup or pollution reduction. They just want industry to kiss ass and pay them a king's ransom for a waiver on the requirements. Like everything the DemonRats do, it's not about fixing the problem, it's about shaking somebody down.
Beautiful!
And it makes sense. Why let them get by when every other place in the whole US meets the limits?
Are the Democrats against reducing pollution?
Only if they can get votes for doing so or benefit from trading emissions credits as a result.. it has little to do with the environment and a lot more to do with fattening their own pocketbooks.
I like the way this Senator thinks. There are all sorts of possibilities with this kind of tactic.
Yes, they want to have it kill all the conservative elderly.
aRnold weighs in on the bill in an article Update
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Pollution bill aimed at California
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060908/ap_on_go_co/clean_air_fight
WASHINGTON - A bill to crank up penalties for the nation's most polluted air regions — both in California — was introduced Thursday in the Senate by Congress' biggest skeptic of global warming.
A week after reacting angrily to California's passage of landmark anti-global warming legislation, Sen. James Inhofe (news, bio, voting record), R-Okla., produced a bill to more than double fines on polluters who don't meet cleanup deadlines for soot and smog. States that don't submit cleanup plans could be denied federal highway funds.
Democrats and environmental activists accused Inhofe, who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee, of retaliating against California. Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office said the bill "unfairly targets" the state.
Inhofe has said that manmade global warming could be "the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people." He called the bill the California Legislature passed last week to reduce greenhouse gases "feel-good legislation to appease liberal special interest groups."
A spokesman for Inhofe said his bill was already in the works before California lawmakers passed theirs.
"While this bill is not a response, it does expose the hypocrisy of their climate initiative," said Inhofe spokesman Matt Dempsey. "This bill will clean up real air pollution; it will save thousands of lives and result in tens of billions of dollars saved, unlike the California global warming bill."
California isn't mentioned in Inhofe's bill, but it applies to areas that don't meet strict attainment standards for ozone and particulate matter. The only two areas of the country that meet that description are the Los Angeles basin and the San Joaquin Valley.
The bill drew an angry response from Sen. Barbara Boxer (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., who is in line to become the top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee next year. "I can only conclude that this legislation is punishment for my state's groundbreaking, bipartisan global warming bill," she said.
Frank O'Donnell, director of Clean Air Watch, called Inhofe's move "a political stunt by the Senate's biggest champion of big polluters."
The California global warming plan, a deal between Schwarzenegger and legislative Democrats, would make California the first state to impose a limit on and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
"I have no doubt that members of the Senate will see today's action for what it is and support our efforts to lead the way in combating global warming," Schwarzenegger said in a statement.
while we're at it....
I move that every lib take a homeless person or two into their home until that homeless person self-actualizes, find themselves, and gets meaningful employment.
I also make a motion that libs be confined to vehicles that don't pollute via hydrocarbons or heavy-metal batteries. Basically, that means that they will be buying a Trek and wearing spandex.
Furthermore, we should limit them to 500 sq feet of home per person. Obviously my first suggestion would allow them to continue living in larger homes.
Liberals can no longer use electricity generated by energy sources that they hate, which means that coal, oil, gas and nukes are out. We'll find out how much people care about birds and ugly windmills at the beach too.
That's enough for now....
If the viewer is not from California, this statement will seem either silly or redundant or both.
Pollution in the San Joaquin Valley is a hand-me-down from obvious sources, the upwind population centers. Pollution in this structural trough increases as prevailing winds concentrate pollutants at the southern end of the basin.
To date, California has made an honest effort to clean up activities in the SJV but has steadfastly refused to enforce reductions at their source, the population and commerce around San Francisco Bay.
(No more Olmert! No more Kadima! No more Oslo! )
For your reading enjoyment! ping
But, you know what? Californians have completely lost something the Okies still have an abundance of... Common Sense!!!
Ihhofe is great and I've temporarily forgotten another US Senator from OK that I once wrote and told I'd trade straight across for either one of our two stupid bichin Demonicrats!!!
I'll tell you what, Rocky... I'm gettin awful unhappy with what's happening to CA. I knew it could get worse, but I never dreamed it would become this much worse because of a Republican Governor!!!
If there ever was a case of "be careful what you wish for... you might get it," THIS IS IT!!! The Recall has been completely turned on it's head and destroyed by a Republican hermaphrodite and I hate it!!! I didn't think anyone could out hermaphrodite Pete Wilson, but brother, was I ever wrong!!!
Now he's gonna win another term and there's absolutely no tellin what Commonistic turd this idiot is gonna spit-shine next!!!
Thanks for the ping and the reading enjoyment...
I hear you and yes, the horse is already out of the barn.
The solution was infanticide. The CaGOP opted for a live birth. This Democrat anchor baby is now a teenager and few can predict what he will do when he gets his driver's license in November.
I was fearful of a monarch if he switched party registration but he's a fast learner and has realized the switching is not necessary. All he needed was a bogeyman and the CaDEM produced a winner.
Ooops...I just saw the date on this was from 2006. I clicked the inhofegw keyword link under “Popular Keywords” and this article came up and I assumed it was recent. My bad!
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