New Study: EPA's Shocking Record of Failure on Statutory Deadlines Raises Serious Questions

CEI ^ | 7-10-13 | CEI staff

[TurboZamboni]

Since 1993, 98 percent of EPA regulations (196 out of 200) pursuant to these programs were promulgated late, by an average of 5.68 years (or 2,072 days) after their respective statutorily defined deadlines. Currently, 65 percent of the EPA’s statutorily defined responsibilities (212 of 322 possible) are past due by an average of 5.88 years (or 2,147 days).

EPA’s persistent failure is troubling—and not just because it suggests incompetence, Yeatman explains. “Despite the agency’s failure to meet nondiscretionary responsibilities, EPA in 2010 took on an enormous discretionary responsibility in proceeding with greenhouse gas regulations. Why is the EPA giving priority to duties chosen by unelected bureaucrats, rather than responsibilities assigned by elected representatives?”

Yeatman's research also exposes the inner workings of “sue and settle,” or friendly lawsuits filed by environmental special interests against EPA that lead to collusive policymaking. The basis of sue and settle lawsuits is EPA's failure to meet a non-discretionary duty defined by the law, usually a deadline.

[BwanaNdege]

Why is the EPA giving priority to duties chosen by unelected bureaucrats, rather than responsibilities assigned by elected representatives?”

"You vill do vat VE zay, NOT vat der nincompoops in Congress zay!"

"Heil Obama!"

"Heil Gore!"

"Heil Gaia!"

[Baynative]

Agenda 21 Ping

"The problem—demonstrated by this report—is that EPA is out of compliance with virtually all of its Clean Air Act deadlines. As a result, establishing any deadline through sue and settle negotiations determines how the EPA deploys its limited resources, which is no different than rendering policy."

First of all the EPA does not have limited resources. Obama has pushed budget increases for the agency, even during the sequester scam.

But, most important in this study is the fact that in addition to morphing into a funding mechanism for liberal activists and NGOs, the EPA puts regulations in place not with the intention of productively protecting the economy, but to build an arsenal of weapons and tools to use [when needed] against political enemies.

This agency needs to be dismantled. Rick Perry said he would do it while the other candidates looked sown at their notes.

[Baynative]

sown down at their notes

[pallis]

It takes a lot of energy to turn CO2 into poison, and it takes up all the EPA’s time. The other stuff can wait.

[Wuli]

very simple

fire the EPA staff

throw out every EPA “regulation” that did not meet its statutory deadline

hire a new EPA staff with no one drawn from environmental activist or advocacy organizations or lawyers who represented them or lawyers or others with previous EPA employment

tell Congress to establish which of those regs that were thrown out due to missing their statutory deadlines that Congress wants the EPA to revisit, and with that legislation end any requirment for those that were thrown out that Congress does not include in the new law as required any longer, and within the same law establish that the EPA will either meet the statutory deadline for a regulation or Congress must act to reauthorize it and in that circumstance there is no requirment for the regulation until Congress acts

[TEXOKIE]

Thanks so very much for the ping, Baynative. I can see that I’m way behind in producing a summary post for our thread! I have, however, been marking articles with the ‘agenda21’ keyword as I run across them!

Just spoke to a friend in a nearby town. I’m crestfallen to learn that this town has started implementing the Agenda21 ordinances recently. There had been push back, but then the ordinances starting being passed stealthily. *Sigh*

It’s sad, because this town has a history of being wiry and individualistic.

[conservativeimage]

EPA the Unelected Government