Dems Want to Remove Environmental Incentives for Small Business

Earlier this year, Senate Democrats introduced legislation (S.595) to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Final Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Burden Reduction Rule that was announced on December 18, 2006 [Link to final rule ]. At an EPW Committee hearing on February 6, 2007, Democrats on the committee characterized the new TRI rule as weakening the public’s right to know, eliminating disclosure requirements, and allowing facilities to hide the amounts of chemicals they may use.

FACT: The new TRI rule does not exempt any facility from reporting its releases. It simply changes the eligibility requirements for using the shorter, easier to complete Form A, allowing certain smaller reporters to use the less-detailed version. Everyone still has to report; no one is off the hook.

So who are these small businesses who get to use the shorter form? They are the good guys; the environmental stewards. The shorter form is available to those reporters who have lowered their emissions to zero and who manage their waste using preferred methods, such as recycling and treatment. Tom Sullivan, Chief Counsel for the Office of Advocacy at the U.S. Small Business Association, testified at the February 6 hearing:

"[S]mall businesses are disproportionately impacted by regulation. The overall regulatory burden in the United States exceeds $1.1 trillion. For firms employing fewer than 20 employees, the most recent estimate of their regulatory burden is $7,647 per year per employee." [Link to SBA commissioned report]

An SBA Office of Advocacy contracted report released in 2004 revealed that businesses incur costs of $300 million annually for compliance with the TRI program.
The new TRI rule attempts to relieve some of those costs on smaller reporting facilities and retain the integrity and public accessibility to information in the TRI program.
Based on studies commissioned by the SBA Office of Advocacy, the increased reporting threshold in the new TRI rule involves very little change in the potential risk associated with releases that are being reported on the more detailed TRI Form Rs. In fact, these studies report that for 99% of all the nation’s 3,142 counties, the changes in reported risk are not significant. [Link to entire SBA work on TRI]

So why do Senate Democrats want to make everyone use the more-detailed version? Perhaps it’s because they don’t think people should be rewarded for doing the right thing. Perhaps it’s because they still believe command and control is better than environmental performance incentives. Despite their protestations to the contrary and all the evidence that incentives work, they still believe sticks are better than carrots.

Inhofe Introduces Water Security Act

Many things are happening on the Hill this week! Senate Minority EPW Committee leader Inhofe had this tidbit to introduce this week:

WASHINGTON, DC – Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, introduced the Water Security Act of 2007 (S. 1968) on August 2, 2007. The bill, which expands on Senator Inhofe’s previously introduced and passed legislation, would authorize a total of $245 million in Environmental Protection Agency grants to help mitigate the expense of security enhancements at drinking water and wastewater facilities. The legislation passed the EPW Committee by a voice vote in 2006.

“Security at our nation’s water and wastewater utilities is of great national importance,” Senator Inhofe said. “Drinking water systems have all completed vulnerability assessments in accordance with the bioterrorism law passed by Congress. Those wastewater facilities that have not completed can receive funds to do so. My bill would then make facilities that have completed assessments eligible for grants to meet the needs that they identified in those assessments. Additionally, this bill would devote the much needed research funds to developing secure collection systems of wastewater treatment systems and the distribution systems of drinking water systems.

“My bill takes a comprehensive look at these facilities and entrusts the local governments who operate them to make security decisions based on the needs of their communities and their individual circumstances. As a former mayor, I understand the importance of creating proactive local solutions instead of imposing federal mandates that do not meet the needs of constituents.”

More... http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=41aa4c68-802a-23ad-46aa-4c87ae849d90&Region_id=&Issue_id=

Newsweek Chimes in on the Global Warming Issue

Well, the worlds weekly magazine chimes in on the battle bewtween global supporters and naysayers of the Warming Issue. As always, this blogger takes no public stance in defending either party, as it should be left to the individual, and the percieved data available to them...so whithout further ado about nothing:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20122975/site/newsweek/site/newsweek/

Old North State to Disperse $128 Million for Conservation

This week, the General Assembly and the Governor signed into law the state budget for 2007 and 2008, which included $128 million over two years for land and water conservation (it isn't $1 billion over five years, but it does show commitment and it helps meet immediate needs):

$100 million in COPs bonds (Certificates of Participation) to be distributed to the Natural Heritage Trust Fund and the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (to be paid back through those same funds)
$20 million in COPs bonds to Division of Marine Fisheries for beach access projects (to be paid back through the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund)

$8 million of appropriations to the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust FundThank your legislators and the Governor for these critical funds

North Carolina's Capital Looking to be Cool!

North Carolinians are encourage Raleigh to join Cool Cities, which is a way for cities to reduce greenhouse gases despite the feds’ refusal to address the issue. This would put us in line with the Kyoto Protocol despite the country never signing it. Here’s more info about Cool Cities: http://www.coolcities.us/

Nine NC cities have signed so far, but not Raleigh or any others in Wake Co. Please go to the Sierra Club website and send an email to the Raleigh City Council and ask them to sign! Go to
http://ncsierra.sierraclubaction.org/alertlist.asp and click on “Help Make Raleigh a Cool City”. The City Council is discussing this issue next Tuesday, August 7 at their 1:00 pm meeting, so any message you can send before then (or you could show up at the meeting!) will encourage them to sign.

As supporters of bike and pedestrian issues, I think it’s obvious that a signed agreement to reduce carbon dioxide would probably result in increased funding to alternative transportation facilities – i.e., bike paths, bike lanes, public transit, sidewalks and crosswalks. So please check it out! And send this on to others in Raleigh or Wake Co. who may be interested. Perhaps Cary and other cities will follow suit.

(Un)Worthy News From North Carolina...

(Un)Worthy news from North Carolina...

Ashe County ’s Richard Calhoun had proposed 25 to 28 wind turbines in the Appalachian Mountains , each turbine extending nearly 400 feet from the base to the tip of the blade. The project would have generated 50 megawatts, enough electricity to power 15,000 homes. It also generated fierce opposition from local residents who feared the giant turbines would damage tourism and harm real-estate values. The N.C. Utilities Commission dismissed Calhoun's application last, saying he provided insufficient information, despite being granted a 120-day extension. The commission denied the application nine days after Calhoun submitted a letter explaining that no financial institution was willing to invest in his project until the commission approved it. To find out more, visit http://www.newsobserver.com/print/saturday/business/story/652385.html

Non-Secular Conservation in the Pacific Northwest

Just when you thought the Northwest couldn't get any weirder there is some good news! Here is an interesting article about conservation and building on conservation-minded relationships with a non-secular slant Posted from the Trust for Public Land's website (http://www.tpl.org/)...










A Conversation about Conservation with the Reverend Carla Pryne:
http://www.tpl.org/tier3_cd.cfm?content_item_id=21414&folder_id=3368

Didn't make it all of the way through? Rev. Carla's movement online at http://www.earthministry.org/

~CCC

Thoughts on the Inception of American Conservation

Reclaiming Environmental Leadership: http://www.rep.org/opinions/speeches/76.html

The truth is that conservation and environmental stewardship are core conservative values. The misperception stems from the fact that the GOP establishment has lost sight of these values. This misrepresentation has been perpetuated by the media over the last 15 years or so. The result has been a polarizing battle that is not at all about the advance of conservative principles, but rather the advance of special interest political agendas. The argument is based on essential elements of conservative thought that have been articulated by conservatives throughout history, including the very founders of modern conservatism including Edmund Burke, Roosevelt, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and modern leaders such as John McCain and Newt Geingrich.

"Conservation of our resources is the fundamental question before this nation, and that our first and greatest task is to set our house in order and begin to live within our means." -T. Roosevelt

~CCC

Why Let the liberals Take All the glory?

When I sat down to start this blog, I knew that I've been thinking about it for months and even years! The fundemental question on my mind is what makes a conservationist? Is it a misnomer to think of all conservationsists as tree-hugging, scruffy-faced and stereotypical liberals? I think yes! The truth be known that the "silent majority" is just as passionate about "all things green" as the next person...and that many of the green movement traditions have their roots in conservative doctrine. I am starting this blog to help give those that identiy themselves as conservative a voice and to articulate many of the conservation-minded topics that are on the minds of Conservative Conservationists.

Conservative Conservationists Unite! Send me your thoughts and comments and lets explore this doctrine.

**Discalaimer - I seek not through this blog to bring down any individual who identifies themselves as liberal, trash any liberal doctrine, but to merely give thought to conservative values as they relate to the conservationist movement, the green movement, or similar. We are all trying to reach the same goals and I hope not to further divide.**

~The Conservative Conservationist Columnist