News from PEER, forwarded by Jane Clark at [log in to unmask]


Secret EPA Plan to Relax Clean Air Rules
"Avoidance of Clean Air Act" is Stated Goal
Privatizes Pollution Enforcement

Washington, D.C....EPA officials have been quietly circulating a plan to
allow industries to evade required reviews of new air pollution sources
from
plant expansion or modification, according to documents released today by
PEER.  The plan, entitled "White Paper Number 3," proposes to relax
stationary source rules to foster "avoidance" of Clean Air Act regulations
governing industrial construction, expansion and retrofitting by writing
permits in such a "flexible" way that no new permit need ever be obtained.

The White Paper was leaked to PEER, an employee advocacy group, by
concerned
EPA staff.  "This proposal privatizes the Clean Air Act such that the needs
of industry rather than public health considerations drive pollution
reduction," stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch.  "There are big
unanswered questions about how pollution permits with this much flexibility
can be enforced or even consistently applied from state to state."

For the full story please visit our web site:
http://www.peer.org/press/102.htm

Suit to Block Defense Contracts for Natural Resource Management
Air Force Illegally "Outsourcing" Edwards AFB Environmental Work, Employees
Charge

Washington, D.C... The U.S. Air Force is illegally replacing its civilian
natural resource specialists with private contractors in order to cover up
environmental violations, according to a lawsuit filed today by Public
Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and Air Force biologists.
While centered at California's Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), the suit may
block Department of Defense (DOD) plans to "outsource" hundreds of civilian
biologist, botanist and archaeologist positions now responsible for
protecting the natural and cultural resources on more than 25 million acres
of undeveloped DOD lands across the U.S.

"The law is clear -- natural resource management in Defense is a core
governmental function that cannot be contracted out," said PEER general
Counsel Dan Meyer.  "This lawsuit means the Air Force can no longer evade
its environmental responsibilities."  The suit asks for compliance with
environmental laws, restoration of displaced civilians, and an end to Air
Force retaliation.

For the full story please visit our web site:
http://www.peer.org/press/103.htm

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) is a non-profit
organization that protects employees who protect the environment.
http://www.peer.org

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