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NRDC also pointed out that the timing of the final rule announcement is likely motivated by the fact that Congress is on recess and much of the nation is on vacation and, perhaps most important, by the Bush administration's desire to insulate its nominee for EPA administrator from criticism. The nominee, Utah Gov. Michael Leavitt, is an exponent of what he has coined "enlibra" principles, which include empowering states to protect the environment without federal interference and developing environmental policy collaboratively with all stakeholders.
At March 31 EPA public hearings, state and local officials blasted the proposed rule for violating the very principles Gov. Leavitt espouses. EPA developed the rule without state or public input, they pointed out, and noted that it would interfere with states' abilities to protect their residents from harmful air pollution. Gov. Leavitt's own air quality director, Rick Sprott, testified in opposition to what is now the final rule, calling it a "train wreck."
Campaign Contributors
The same companies that are currently being prosecuted for new source review violations are major contributors to the Republican Party and had easy access to Vice President Cheney's secret energy task force. For example, the Edison Electric Institute, an industry trade group comprising the power plant defendants in the Justice Department new source review cases, had at least 14 contacts with the Cheney task force and contributed nearly $600,000 to the Republican Party from 1999 to 2002. (For more information, see this May 2002 NRDC press release.)
The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, non-profit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has more than 550,000 members nationwide, served from offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
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