November 7th, 2008 · 1 Comment

From Green Right Now

In one final mad dash of activity, look for the Bush administration to roll back several significant environmental restrictions, according to a report from McClatchy Newspapers.  It’s expected that the administration will overturn limits that have kept power plants from encroaching upon national parks, blocked uranium mining near the Grand Canyon and protected ground water from contamination at mountaintop coal mining sites in Appalachia.

McClatchy reports that the Bush administration is expected to have the new rules finalized shortly before Thanksgiving. If the administration can get the rules in place quickly, it would make it more difficult for the Obama administration and the new Democratic Congress to undo the changes.

If the relaxed restrictions occur, the areas od potential impact include:

Grand Canyon — With prices for uranium growing in anticipation of expanded use of nuclear power, thousands of mining claims have been filed on land within three miles of the Grand Canyon, says McClatchy. One of the main hazards from uranium mining is for waste from the mining process to seep into groundwater. A report for the Arizona Department of Game and Fish said people would be at risk if they ingested radium-226, arsenic and other hazardous substances from water and tainted fish.

Appalachian mountaintop mining — This proposed rule change would eliminate firm buffer zones that restrict surface mining within 100 feet of a stream unless there is no harm to water quality or quantity. Under the new rule, the government could grant waivers that would allow mining companies to discard rubble in ways that potentially harm streams.

National parks — The Bush administration wants to allow older electric power plants to measure their emissions on an hourly basis, rather than their total yearly output as now required. The result woukd be that power plants could run for more hours and increase overall emissions without having to install pollution-control technology as required under the Clean Air Act. Another rule change would make it easier to build polluting facilities near national parks and wilderness areas.

Yet another new rule would essentialy circumvent the Endangered Species Act by allowing federal agencies to decide for themselves whether their actions might jeopardize the existence of protected species or “adversely modify” critical habitats. Under current regulations, federal agencies have to get approval from  the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service.