What do you think? Mrs. Dedieu
Obama abandons tougher ozone standard
Rule had been target of major lobbying effort
WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is abandoning its plan to immediately tighten air quality rules nationwide to reduce emissions of smog-causing chemicals after an intense lobbying campaign by industry, which said the new rule would cost billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs, officials said yesterday.
The White House announcement that it was overruling the Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to adopt a stricter standard for ground-level ozone came just hours after another dismal jobs reports and in the midst of an intensifying political debate over the impact of federal regulations on job creation. President Obama is planning a major address next week on new measures to stimulate employment, while Republicans in Congress and on the presidential campaign trail have harshly criticized the administration’s environmental and health regulations, which they claim are forcing layoffs and the export of jobs.
The EPA, following the recommendation of its scientific advisers, had proposed lowering the so-called ozone standard from that set by the Bush administration to a new stricter standard that would have thrown hundreds of American counties out of compliance with the Clean Air Act. It would have required a major effort by state and local officials, as well as new emissions controls by industries and across the country.
The administration will follow a more lenient Bush administration standard set in 2008 until a scheduled reconsideration of acceptable pollution limits in 2013. Environmental advocates vowed yesterday to challenge that standard in court, saying it is too weak to adequately protect public health.
In a statement, the president reiterated his commitment to environmental concerns, but said, “At the same time, I have continued to underscore the importance of reducing regulatory burdens and regulatory uncertainty, particularly as our economy continues to recover. With that in mind, and after careful consideration, I have requested that Administrator Jackson withdraw the draft Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards at this time.’’
In a letter to Lisa P. Jackson, the EPA administrator, the head of the White House office of regulatory affairs, Cass Sunstein, said that the president was rejecting her proposal to tighten the standard.
“He has made it clear he does not support finalizing the rule at this time,’’ Sunstein said.
Sunstein said that changing the rule now would create uncertainty for business and local government. He also said there was no compelling reason to rewrite the ozone standard in advance of the scheduled reconsideration in 2013, a key demand of business interests.
I believe that Obama should put aside other minor commintments or appointments to make time and space for this important issue. I am almost positive that there are projects that have been created by his administration or by congress that can be rescheduled, or are of less importance.
ReplyDeleteAir pollution is a very big concern in the US. Ignoring the issue is only going to make more problems and eventually become more of a concern if ignored now. I believe that this is an issue that should not be ignored and should be taken seriously. With concerns about money, I am sure Obama could put aside minor issues and put more money into this one especially because it concerns the health of the people and our world.
ReplyDeleteI think that Obama should take this issue more seriously and not abandon his plan to tighten air quality rules. Air pollution has been very serious in the U.S. for many years and it is only getting worse. I believe that Obama needs to focus more on this topic than letting small things get in the way as this issue has been talked about more and more over the years. It has been getting increasingly dangerous and something needs to be done. I really think they need to consider tightening the health regulations for the benefit of our country and our people. -Jake Yasi
ReplyDeletei think that obama is not taking this serious enough. Air pollution is seriously effecting our planet and causing a lot of harm and tightening the air quality rules would defiantly be a step in the right direction. He should have set and example for other people telling them that yes this is a real serious issue and we all need to start having efforts put forth to try and solve the problem.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that Obama understands quite how important clean air is. If America is trying to become more environmentally friendly, then clean air is a big step in that direction.
ReplyDelete-Zoe M.
In my opinion I don't think Obama is taking this matter serious enough. Without air to breath we all wouldn't be here now. This problem of air polution is only going to keep getting worse if we don't do something about it. The longer Obama ignores this problem the harder it is going to be to fix it.
ReplyDeleteEven though Obama thinks that the clean air law will cost jobs and money, i think its worth it in the end. If he doesn't address this problem now it will only get worse, and that could affect the well being of the people. I believe Obama should take this matter just as seriously as all the other issues he faces in office, because it affects everyone in this country. Keeping Americans safe is worth the money and time even if it may have some consequences.
ReplyDeleteThe government has to strike a balance between protecting the environment and creating policies that negatively impact job growth. With the economy in it's present state, the government can't instill too many policies that negatively effect job growth. At the same time, the government can't ignore the negative effects low level ozone has on people and the environment.
ReplyDeleteScott Fiery
i think that obama should look more into air pollution because its a very serious cause. Not only does it effect the people but also the animals and enviorment around us. i think Obama should set up a plan to reduce the air pollution.
ReplyDeleteObama should put aside political concerns, as he has enough already, and just deal with the issue. Although passing this bill may cause issues now, such as higher unemployment and more money being necessary to support the bill, it will ultimately provide cleaner air and a better environment for us to live in, and by delaying the bill the affects will be more profound, and we may even need to make a stricter bill in the future. The stricter bill would mean that companies and the state would have to pay more money to meet requirements, and by then we may have done more damage to the environment than if we had passed the bill.
ReplyDeleteI know it doesn't seem like an important topic to the government now, but in a couple of years when the Ozone hole is huge and many Americans become sick, the government will come to regret that decision. Obama should take to the more important topics such as air pollution because if everyone starts to get sick and die because of air pollution, which if no action is taken will only get worse, more problems will arise and the issues that kept from the solution of air pollution in the first place won't even matter because there will be so many other problems caused.
ReplyDeleteI think that President Obama should be more concerned about more possible pollution in the atmosphere because chances are that if the air we breathe becomes too polluted it won't matter as much if we have jobs, but more that we have good air to breathe and live on. What Obama is working for right now, creating jobs and keeping the economy healthy, is important, but i think that in the long run this could be happening again very soon. Right now our country should be making sure that in the next few years everybody has healthy air to breathe and live on.
ReplyDeleteObama should deal with the tightening of the air pollution rules before worrying about political issues. Losing jobs affects a fraction of Americans while air pollution will affect most, if not all, Americans.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, President Obama is not taking this cause seriously enough. Clean, not polluted, air is something we need to survive, yet it is deteriorating at an alarming rate. The sooner this problem is fixed, the more time Obama will have to worry about jobs and the economy. The longer it takes to be resolved, the stronger a negative impact is imprinted on the environment. Even if passing the bill causes a loss of jobs, they can be created in other fields or in the future. Clean air, however, can not be "made" or "created," and without an answer, it could become too late to fix at all.
ReplyDeleteKelsey Dion
I dont think this desicion is entirely up to President Obama. I think that the more specialized scientists in the country should have a say in this as well. As saying this I believe that he should keep the program to support air pollution and he should also figure out a way for to produce new jobs to those Americans who lost them. I do believe that Obama is making a smart desicion now but in the long run he should think about how bad the air might get.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Obama should reconsider his decision. The last thing Obama needs during his administration is a large eco-logical disaster because of him downing this plan. Also, I was lucky enough to interview Administrator Lisa Jackson last December, and after meeting with her and discussing important ecological issues I believe that she will do everything possible to help the environment.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important that President Obama works to increase air quality. It is very important, especially now with the climate change and global warming. If he doesn't do anything, not only will the Ozone layer continue to deteriorate, but the poor air quality could cause disease in humans and animals.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that air quality is a pertinent issue in the United States. However, I believe that the Obama administration's decision to set aside plans to make the air quality rules stricter is understandable. First, it makes sense that the Obama administration would not treat the air quality issue as a number one priority at this time, given the difficult economic situation. It also seems unlikely that there would be drastic immediate effects of poor air quality before 2013, while agreeing to the air quality plan could result in the loss of many jobs. Climate change, for instance, though a potential effect of poor air quality, would not necessarily take place right away. I do not think that waiting to make a final decision about this issue until 2013 would cause significant consequences in terms of environment and health. Lastly, by abandoning this plan, Obama could have been appealing to the Republican party, because it strongly disagrees with the implementation of environmental rules. Overall, I believe that the economic situation is a more immediate issue, and the U.S. would not be faced with major consequences if the air quality plan were addressed two years from now.
ReplyDeleteThis topic should not be government dependent, people should take small steps to improve air quality individually. Protecting our environment is more of a code of ethics rather than a political debate that is trying to meet a budget. As long as the government gives the people enough time to adapt to the changes no one should be laid off and not too much money should be lost, because Americans will find their way by creating cost-effective ways to improve their business. If this were to be done jobs would not be exported and there would be few lay offs, and our society would just become more evolved.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Obama isn't taking this matter seriously enough. There are lots of economic and political problems in our country and in the world, but I think that those should not take priority over the planet. Our earth is what supports us, and we're destroying it rapidly.
ReplyDeleteIt also bothers me that Obama KNOWS the significance of this issue, and that a set of air quality standards was drafted, but he chose not to have it put in place. There is no denial of what is happening to the planet, and it's irresponsible to not do something about it with the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
I think that President Obama is making a huge mistake. I understand the political conflicts this act would cause. But the future of this planet is far more significant than any political conflict that has ever arisen.
ReplyDeleteI think Obama definetly should be concerned about the air pollution. It is a major problem in the U.S. and could be detrimental to citizens health. Even though money and jobs could be an issue, he could try to take money from other, less important, causes and transfer it to this cause for a period of time. Overall, the poor air quality could impact the health and lives of many.
ReplyDeleteahhh hell no. obama needs to get his head in the game! although it would be unfortunate for all of those people to loose their jobs but people will die and new people will be born, if the earth dies no new earth will be born therefore i think the planet on which we live on is more important then the people that inhabbit it because we are replaceable the earth is not! Think about our children and their children! We dont want them born into a plannet in the process of being destroyed! For once bush was right with his clean air policy and we should definatly not remove it. EARTH > PEOPLE. -CHRIS MOREN
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that our government's relaxed approach to the state of the environment is very telling of the kind of care politicians are giving this vital issue. It is understandable that the country cannot afford to give up jobs during this economic crisis, but I feel that there are ways to help the environment that don't take jobs from our people.
ReplyDeleteI believe that President Obama is thinking more in terms of short term effects rather than long term effects. He only is thinking about creating jobs within the next couple of years instead of the well-being of Earth.
ReplyDeleteObama should consider this issue with more importance because air pollution is a huge issue in the United States. Air is something we breathe every day and putting off this issue is a danger to our health. We are only hurting ourselves and our planet by putting this issue off. I think that Obama should take this problem more seriously and possibly take money from other minor organizations to fund this one. I say this because air affects our lives literally every second. Over all, clean and healthy air is essential to our planet's well being as well as our own.
ReplyDeleteI think that President Obama doesn't want to contradict two others things that he's trying to do now (creating jobs and growing the economy) for something that is already set for a later date in 2013.
ReplyDeleteAir pollution is a serious concern in the world today. Obama's relaxed approach on the matter is very upsetting. The US must reduce air pollution for the earths sake and simply for the sake of humans.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Obama should not put aside such an important issue of which is effecting the lives of the people and the Earth. Ignoring a problem with such significance may be very consequential to the circle of life. CItizens losing jobs is never a good thing, but saving our earth is much more important. As Chris M said there are many people but only one earth. Obama needs to get his priorities straight and realize that nothing is as important as keeping our mother earth clean. It would be in Obama's best interests to go with the clean air policy.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the Obama Administration may be sidetracked with other things that they may see as more important, conflicts like war and he may not see this as an issue. I think that the pollution factor is a huge one that Obama needs to work on, because if he is unable to fix what has been plundering the American way of life for recent years, the people of the United States, and Obama, will have a huge problem on their hands.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this should be reconsidered now because it effects our health now and can only get worse. It is also necessary to consider this now because our country is recovering so now would be the time to initiate change. We must also look at the car companies reasons to resist these necessary changes, they say that because of the expenses jobs will be lost but, won't those expenses also go into crating the new jobs needed to develop and produce cleaner cars. Our corporations should look to the future of the nation they rely on and see that they are destroying it. WE must also remember that Obama is trying to treat this issue with diplomacy as to not lose support for the other issues this country is facing.
ReplyDeleteObama should move other issues to the side and focus on the important issue at hand involving the entire world and the many lives in that world. However, I do understand the political problems that would be in the ripples of Obama's decisions, but I further believe these problems are resolvable and not as important. Overall Obama should move forward with the problems on the topic of saving the Earth's ozone sooner before later.
ReplyDeleteI think that President Obama needs to consider the fact that the decisions that he makes can potentially affect not only people but the enviroment as well. He should press down the rules that will help the ozone and keep the envioroment the way it is supposed to be, which is clean.
ReplyDeleteObama should focus more on taking action on these environmental issues. I am sure that obama does take this issue very seriously but has other things on his "to do" list that he deems more important. I can understand this, an example would be the wars in iraq and afghanistan. in those wars people are dieing in very great numbers and the sole cause is the war. when it comes to cleaner air,almost nobody is dieing directly of bad air (places like coal mines, volcanoes and other places with abnormally high particle levels in the air are excluded). If obama could completly withdraw the troops from iraq and afghanistan we would have much more money which could be spent on "green" efforts. all in all, what i am saying is that air pollution is only causing a SMALL percentage of deaths throughout the world compared to many other things, such as hunger. air pollution is a problem, but it should not be prioritiezed over more important issues.
ReplyDeletei think that the air pollution subject is very serious and many of the citizens are concerned about it. i think that Obama should look at this more seriously to make sure that this dilemma is dealt with properly and a difference is made. - jake c
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, in rough economic times such as these, issues such as the environment will always take a back seat to issues regarding U.S. finance. Eventually the United States government will pass this bill, because it is truly necessary to save the environment around us. Cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are constantly shrouded by smog, visible from miles away. A bill like this might make living in large cities much safer for resident. However, I do not believe that Congress and the President will pass a bill like this until the problem is both unavoidable and irreversible. I think that the bill should have been passes now, as it will take quite some time to fix air pollution problems, and although it will cost a fair amount of money, we will need to spend it later anyways.- D.Wack
ReplyDeleteI believe Obama should not have requested the withdrawal of the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards and should not have rejected the EPA's proposal to tighten the standard. In fact, I believe he should have passed and promoted the new standard. I'm aware that tightening the standard will cost the industry greatly and many people will lose their jobs. However, in the long run, the expenses made by the industry will be well worth it because it will help the Earth's atmosphere. Planet Earth is more important than the finances of the companies and industry. Currently, the loss of jobs is inevitable and unfortunate, but the high level of emissions of smog-causing chemicals will one day make Earth unhealthy, dangerous, and we will then have NO jobs. If ground-level ozone increases at the rate that it is then it will become a major public safety issue. Therefore, I support the tightening of the standard and believe Obama should reconsider his decision.
ReplyDeleteI think there should be something done about the pollution being released into the ozone. I believe that the polluted ozone is the cause of global warming. I also believe that if something is not done about the pollution level being released into the ozone the earth could flood. This may not happen in our generation but it could happen to our kids, grandchildren, or our great grandchildren. We may not see it happen but I am confident that the world will flood if something is not done in the near future.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...The political issues Obama has on his mind like job loss and the ecconomy are important and should not be pushed aside, but they are not the only important things he should be thinking about. The environment is important to all and is being forgotten by Obama. If it is not prioritized it can soon be too late. The jobs lost by getting rid of harmful factories can be recreated by those same men and women working towards something environmentally safe.
ReplyDeleteI think that Mr. President realizes that either decision he makes people are not going to be happy. If he passes the law then people won't be happy that there are less jobs. If he does not pass the law then people are unhappy that the air is being polluted. I think that he figures air pollution can wait but people need to get back on their feet and get the economy to be stable. Also, I have not noticed a difference in the air I breath or done research to tell how bad it is.
ReplyDeleteI think the president is being rather nearsighted. Yes, times are tough and the country needs to have its priorities in order, but I think this is a HUGE priority. With the USA being the powerful country that it is, if we stood behind stricter clean air rules, other countries would be sure to do the same. Of course jobs are a big deal, but we won't need jobs if we can breathe.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason Obama has not taken any major steps in pollution and alternative energy is because hes had his hands full with many different issues none bigger than the economy and the war in the Middle East. Not only would alternative energy create a much cleaner plant, it would also stimulate the economy as well.
ReplyDeleteI believe Obama is abandoning the plan to tighten the airs quality because he has more significant problems to deal with. He doesn't see environmental situation as something that needs to dealt with immediately, but if the air quality is not changed it will become a much more serious ordeal that it already is. As soon as the economy becomes more stable, Obama should address the environmental problems.
ReplyDeleteI think that President Obama should be more concerned about more possible pollution in the atmosphere because chances are that if the air we breathe becomes too polluted it won't matter as much if we have jobs, but more that we have good air to breathe and live on. What Obama is working for right now, creating jobs and keeping the economy healthy, is important, but i think that in the long run this could be happening again very soon. Right now our country should be making sure that in the next few years everybody has healthy air to breathe and live on.
ReplyDelete~abby gooding
I understand that Obama wants and needs to keep as many jobs as he can but perhaps instead of raising it all at one time, he could slowly raise it over time, making sure that as each community falls out of the standard, they change to be within the standard. That way, the minimum will be raised, but at the same time Obama can focus on getting the economy back together, something that he should hopefully accomplish while the standard is being raised, so that as many jobs are being lost by this, he has time to get more made before it is raised again
ReplyDeleteObama should not be skirting around this issue. While this may cost jobs, it could also save lives. And couldn't anyone find a way to create jobs that have to do with air quality? Maybe they could hire inspectors to test the air qualities in different parts of the country? This does not have to be an immediate change, but rather one that rises slowly and adds jobs at the same time that it takes away jobs.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Obama should be putting strict air quality rules and regualtions into effect as soon as he can. Air quality is a big issue on our planet, especially in the US. I think that if Obama doesn't set clear regualtions and standards, then corporations will continue putting harmful emissions in our air for the sake of their paychecks. If these large companies are forced to, they will reduce their emissions, potentially saving lives, even if it means losing jobs.
ReplyDeleteI think that Obama should be putting as many rules and regulations toward the Clean Ait Policy because it is a huge issuse. It is an important issue that should not be put off because it affects not only the government economy but peoples health. The government can make some kind of plan that will accomidate fixing this problem. If they wait then its going to be a larger problem that is going to be even harder to fix in the future. So attempting to do something about it now, no matter how big or small, shall make some type off difference.
ReplyDeleteObama should be facing the concern head-on. This issue is what is keeping us in an un-safe living environment. If the administration would follow through with the plan to tighten air quality rules, it would help our air quality and produce jobs for the American citizens. Besides the millions of dollars he spends on other useless things should be put to good use and save the environment rather than his extensive vacations. All in all Obama needs to put Americas money to good use. He is doing some things right and choosing some of the correct things to spend money on but a great president chooses all of the correct things to spend money on, in this case the air quality.
ReplyDeleteThis is a debate that I fear will go on for years. More people need to realize the necessity for preservation of our planet. Americans tend to view the more current job issue as more important than the future of our planet. A merge between the two may be necessary. If we could create more jobs while reducing emissions, we could take a step in the right direction in both categories. Still, our health and the health of our planet should come before anything else. We can't ignore the issue forever.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if the enviorment is really the goverment's problem. The goverment has far more important tasks ahead of it. Not to say saving the earth isn't important, but it's no something they have a massive control on. The average person has to do their part and wait out until science can provide us with Greener alteritives. This one isn't on Obama, its a personally choice to save the enviorment.
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