Getting It Right at the EPA
Washington, DC -- Wonderful things do happen. Stephen Johnson, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, has proposed a public health protecting air quality standard for mercury lead -- one that is actually more stringent and health-oriented than was expected, and that is even better than the recommendation of EPA's Science Advisory Board. The new standards tighten the allowable lead level by a factor of 10 down to 0.15 micrograms of lead per cubic meter of air.
"America's air is cleaner than a generation ago," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "With these stronger standards a new generation of Americans are being protected from harmful lead emissions."
The existing air standard for lead, 1.5 micrograms, was set 30 years ago and, since that time, science has demonstrated that lead is much more hazardous to health than was previously understood.
Johnson was under intense pressure from business to set a much weaker standard; he was almost certainly under intense pressure from the White House to respond to business. He deserves a heartfelt vote of thanks from every American.
At least some of us scientists believe in science! Kudos to Steve!
Posted by: Paul from Potomac | October 17, 2008 at 07:59 AM
Maybe your previous call for Mr. Johnson to resign helped motivate him to do the right thing. Whatever motivated him, I'm glad to see that he did.
Posted by: Dave Scott | October 17, 2008 at 10:14 AM
too bad they didn't do this under the Clinton presidency.
Posted by: clean coalbama barrack | October 17, 2008 at 12:37 PM
Nice Post from another thread
The green movement takes a back seat to that. If not, you would see more blogs on going veggie (re: the UN "meat eating" report), he wouldn't be whoring himself out to oilman T Boone Pickens, who says we should "drill everywhere", and he would be working for the ouster of all those Dems in office who recently voted to open up the coasts to drilling. He would withhold support for Obama and his nuclear, clean coal programs. But he won't. Don't be fooled. It's not about the environment, it's about making friends in Washington D.C. That is why the green movement is stalling and little change is being made.
Posted by: clean coalbama barrack | October 17, 2008 at 12:42 PM
Carl: Due to SF Chronicle having a special Green Section today with some emphasis on bulk composting, I sent to SF Chron and you a copy on "Composting Misconceptions" pointing out that composting is just burning done slowly to reemit GHGs from carbon trapped by nature in plant and animal tissues and wastes. We would be getting much more right for the environment and endangered species if we would wake up to these misconceptions and start a program to pyrolyze organic wastes and separated sewage solids. I have sent you an outline of a program for pyrolysis pointing to many benefits that would accrue including many thousands of new jobs. Get Sierra Club in the forefront of real action for the environment by calling for the pyrolysis program. Dr. J. Singmaster
Posted by: Dr. J. Singmaster | October 17, 2008 at 02:10 PM
Interesting...considering that Johnson was so adamant about CO2 not to be even counted to determine if it caused any "harm" - when someone who tried to prevent that...yet now, he is ok with dealing with lead problems?
Is it that he is actually a limited sort of environmentalist...the kind that cares about contaminants you can see, like dirty air, rivers on fire, but not about science that tells you that invisible CO2 is threatening our entire foundation of civilization... very curious indeed...hard to understand.
Or maybe he is trying to hang on to his job in the event of an Obama administration that now looks possible?
Posted by: Susan Kraemer | October 18, 2008 at 01:15 PM