The Obama Administration is forcasting national calamity if government pork stimulus projects aren't funded and started, well, yesterday. Many of these projects are large public works projects which require environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act.
This has created a very interesting argument raised by Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyoming). He's proposing an amendment to the pork economic stimulus bill to "streamline environmental regulations for projects funded by the stimulus– a move that could ignite a firestorm in the environmental community." Politico reports:
The amendment for the stimulus bill, now being debated in the Senate, would give the government a tight, 270-day deadline to complete environmental reviews of stimulus projects required under the National Environmental Policy Act, which environmentalists consider the Holy Grail of environmental laws.
“This bill aims to streamline NEPA so reviews are done within nine months of any stimulus bill being passed,” Barrasso said. “If these projects are indeed ‘shovel ready,’ they will be able to meet a nine-month deadline. Otherwise they should face the ax.”
Usually there are no time limits on NEPA reviews. The law requires government agencies to examine the environmental impacts of their projects, a tool that environmentalists have relied on for decades to revise or stop projects that pose dangers to the environment or animal species.
More than a dozen environmental groups have written senators, arguing that the stimulus is already chock-full of projects that have completed environmental reviews and would not be held up.
And Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) is currently working on a counteramendment that would mandate all stimulus funded projects comply with NEPA or not be funded.
The collision of pork progressives and greens will be pretty interesting to watch.
UPDATE: WSJ Market Watch reports "cuts" in green pork stimulus in Senate negotiations:
CNN reported the list of items cut that it received from a Democratic leadership aide showed the federal "green building" program was to have been $7 billion but was pared to $5 billion. Also cut was $300 million of $600 million for a federal fleet of hybrid vehicles; $200 million of $600 million for the federal Superfund pollution clean-up program; and a complete elimination of $122 million for new U.S. Coast Guard polar icebreaker/cutters. Also on the cut list was $100 million of $427 million for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; $100 million of $400 million for FBI construction; and $75 million of $150 million for the Smithsonian Institution, CNN reported.
"chock-full of projects that have completed environmental reviews and would not be held up."
If they have been thru NEPA, aren't these projects already paid for? Why do they need stimulus money?
"And Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) is currently working on a counteramendment that would mandate all stimulus funded projects comply with NEPA or not be funded."
NEPA already is the law of the land. Barrasso isn't saying NOT comply with NEPA, just get it done in short order.
The whole thing is liberal crap.
I would put ALL environmental spending ON HOLD. Yes, cut off all projects for the short term so that a quality education for our children does not become extinct.
Let's keep it simple, people come first before animals or trees. Currently every school district in California and other states are looking at making deep cuts in school programs and personal just to keep the doors open.
I'm all for protecting the environment, but when you have to make a choice between basic human needs (like a good education) and the environment I would allow the environment to go solo for a while. If I have to make a choice between putting food on the table and planting a new lawn, guess what, we will enjoy weeks for a while while we get back on our feet. It's really that simple. If you disagree with me I urge you to read the paper and see the reality of what real people are about to loose and ask yourself what is really more important.
Thanks for reading my opinion.