Comment

Why Does the GOP Hate Clean Air?

9
lawhawk1/20/2011 10:39:17 am PST

Repeated for emphasis:

The Clean Air Act, which President Nixon signed into law 40 years ago, passed Congress by a vote of 374-1 in the House and 73-0 in the Senate. You cannot get much more bipartisan than that.

Nixon not only established the Clean Air Act, but the EPA itself.

Rolling back environmental protections would be insanely stupid and costly - as air and water quality directly affects public health. Improving air quality around the nation can and has reduced exposure to various particulates, including lead (after eliminating lead from gasoline), mercury and other heavy metals from power generating facilities, COx, SOx, and other noxious chemicals that are irritants and can lead to asthma and other respiratory ailments.

The same goes for water protections - and it’s cheaper to prevent groundwater contamination than to clean up contaminated water sources.