"EPA Looking to Change Air Quality Rules"

In the Wednesday, Nov. 19 issue of The Sun News there is an article about the EPA finalizing new air quality rules that will make it easier to build coal-fired power plants, oil refineries, and other major polluters in close proximity to national parks and wilderness areas. Half of the EPA's regional administrators have protested this move in dissention and another four criticized it in writing. The rules that are being changed and weakened are part of the Clean Air Act.

Currently, pollution levels are measured over 3 hour and 24 hour increments in order to capture emission spikes during periods of energy demand. Under the new rules levels would be averaged over a year. Spike pollutions would no longer violate the law.

The EPA regional administrators argue that the switch would undermine critical air quality protection in such places as Virginia's Shenandoah National Park. In the 1930's, visitors to Shenandoah's Skyline Drive could see the Washington Monument 70 miles away. Today visibility on some days is barely one mile. These administrators fear that the new testing will underestimate the emissions both for existing power plants and those that are proposed.

I can understand the importance of building more coal-fired power plants in order to reduce our dependency on foreign oil. BUT, the regulations still need to be followed. They shouldn't be weakened. By weakening the rules it will encourage these power plants and oil refineries to push the limits of the rules. What happens to the responsibility these companies have toward citizens? Does it simply disappear? We've seen this pattern play itself out locally with AVX corporation. If the rules are weakened and these players are allowed to pollute more, then where is the line drawn for other polluters?