Reform of Toxic Chemicals Law Collapses as Industry Flexes Its Muscles

[laughingliberal]

<snip> Last fall, a group of congressional Democrats vowed to overhaul the 34-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to make it easier for EPA to take dangerous chemicals off the market and ensure that the substitutes are safe. But one year, six congressional hearings and 10 "stakeholder sessions" later, the bills are dead, a testament to the combined clout of $674 billion chemical industry, the companies that process their compounds into air fresheners, detergents, perfumes, cosmetics, toys, medical devices and other consumer goods, and the stores that sell them. Their campaign to block reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act won out over EPA's support, an unprecedented campaign by public health advocates fueled by the industry's own admissions that the current law does not fully protect public health.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), and Reps. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) and Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), who introduced reform bills, say they'll reintroduce them next year. But industry lobbyists will also be back, making it likely that the stalemate will continue -- even if the Republicans don't gain any additional seats in Congress. <snip>

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/10/13/reform-of-toxic-chemicals-law-collapses-as-industry-flexes-its-m/

Welcome to the Corporate States of America

[blm]

1. GOPs/corporaDems are jealous of Hungary's toxic sludge - want land and rivers poisoned here, too

and they won't stop attacking environmental legislation until they get what they want.

[bvar22]

2. It doesn't help to have a Blue dog ConservoDem in charge of the Dept. of Interior.

Appointing Monsanto shill and Political Crony (Ken Salazar) to head up this department was a wink and a wave to the Mining/Oil Industries and Big Business that it would be Big Business as usual.
There were plenty of environmental experts that would be better than a conservative "Pro-Growth" politician to head up this incredibly important position.



The DLC New Team
Big Business as Usual

(Screen Capped from the DLC Website)

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=254886&kaid=86&subid=85

[laughingliberal]

3. Sadly, nothing there I can disagree with. nt