Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to restore climate criteria to the Landmark Environmental law
OVER 350 bodies of water are protected under the National Environmental Policy Act. In addition, the EPA and other agencies have evaluated the impacts of thousands of industrial projects on precious natural resources. Congressional findings have shown that the “hubris” of the Clinton and Obama Administrations led to a “rush to get things done” with no concern for the long-term consequences. A total disregard for studies such as the Old Dominion’s fishing guides and mountain climbing community. Which led to an EPA water contamination scandal of monumental proportions. Even today, administration scientists are conducting extensive research to figure out how water quality got so bad. The choices on how to fix the problems of the Old Dominion State are clear, but the path forward is difficult.
BILL BRINGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS BACK INTO THE LEGISLATION
As the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is being overhauled by a bipartisan group of Congress members and states attorneys general, the introduction of the NextGen Act, a bill introduced by Congressman Tom DeLay in the House of Representatives and Senator Ken Salazar in the Senate, includes provisions addressing the critical need to restore climate criteria to this landmark legislation.
BACKGROUND ON THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
Under NEPA, environmental studies and determinations of impacts related to plans and actions must first be reviewed by an independent scientific and legal review panel. It is through this panel that important decisions such as mine, plant and pipeline permits are made. But in the Clinton and Obama Administration, the independent review panels were stacked with environmental bureaucrats, not scientists or independent state, federal or academic experts who serve in advisory capacities. The key advisory role of the independent review panels has been ignored. This resulted in the permitting of permitting decisions based upon more-flawed-than-ever “expert” data. This led to environmental disasters such as oil spills from oil spills, climate change caused by the CO2 in factories, air pollution caused by changes in agriculture, floods and droughts that had been ignored. It is imperative that the agency executives decide what actions to support rather than reacting to fossil fuel and other corporate decisions.
REMARKS BY BOBBY JINDAL, REPUBLICAN HOUSE MINORITY LEADER
BAY HILL: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
