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A trio of House lawmakers yesterday introduced a bill to block U.S. EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases, marking the latest in a string of bipartisan attacks against forthcoming climate rules.
Source: The New York TimesThe coal ash industry manipulated reports and publications about the dangers of coal combustion waste, reports Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The group stated that the Environmental Protection Agency allowed the multibillon-dollar coal ash industry to have virtually unfettered access to the EPA during the Bush administration and now under President Obama.
Source: AlternetThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Jan. 21 a new practice that will prevent chemical manufacturers from hiding the identities of chemicals that have been found to pose a significant risk to environmental or public health. The policy is a small step to increase the transparency of the nation's chemical laws.
Source: OMB WatchIn a shift of position, the Food and Drug Administration is expressing concerns about possible health risks from bisphenol-A, or BPA, a widely used component of plastic bottles and food packaging that it declared safe in 2008.
Source: The New York TimesIn November, researchers released a startling finding: In pregnant women, a study found that developing babies are being exposed to toxic chemicals from consumer products even before they take their first breaths. The finding is yet another confirmation that U.S. chemical safety laws are failing to safeguard health.
Source: The Nation’s Health, American Public Health AssociationThe Environmental Protection Agency proposed limiting the allowable amount of pollution-forming ozone in the air from 75 to between 60 and 70 parts per billion for any eight-hour period, significantly tightening rules the Bush administration had set for the nation's most widespread air pollutant.
Source: The Washington PostAn article by PSR's Dr. John Fogarty and Dr. Michael McCally discussing the dangers of carbon capture and storage. Full article requires subscription.
Source: Journal of the American Medical AssociationA new article by PSR's Dr. John Fogarty and Dr. Michael McCally, published in JAMA, warns of the dangers of carbon capture and sequestration.
Source: The HillOf the 84,000 chemicals in commercial use in the United States -- from flame retardants in furniture to household cleaners -- nearly 20 percent are secret, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, their names and physical properties guarded from consumers and virtually all public officials under a little-known federal provision.
Source: The Washington PostTop US officials are now questioning why the United States still pursues a strategy based on the ability to annihilate its former foe. In a thorough review expected to be completed early this year, the size, structure, and even the very mission of America’s nuclear arsenal are being reconsidered as part of President Obama’s pledge to reduce the role of the world’s most deadly weapons.
Source: The Boston GlobeAn op-ed by PSR's Dr. Ira Helfand on how we can acheive a nuclear weapons free world. Dr. Helfand is representing PSR at this year's Nobel Peace Prize ceremony honoring President Obama.
Source: CNNPhysicians for Social Responsibility today released a groundbreaking medical report, “Coal’s Assault on Human Health,” which takes a new look at the devastating impacts of coal on the human body. By examining the impact of coal pollution on the major organ systems of the human body, the report concludes that coal contributes to four of the top five causes of mortality in the U.S. and is responsible for increasing the incidence of major diseases already affecting large portions of the U.S. population.
PSR recognizes the historic significance of House passage on June 26, 2009, of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES). For the first time, a branch of Congress has taken responsibility for acting to comprehensively reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
An op-ed coauthored by Dr. Barbara Warren of Arizona PSR.
Source: Arizona Daily StarThe Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposal today finding greenhouse gas emissions pose a danger to the public's health and welfare, a determination that could trigger a series of sweeping regulations affecting everything from vehicles to coal-fired power plants.
Source: Washington PostToday the Environmental Protection Agency made an endangerment finding regarding the emission of greenhouse gases that cause global warming. The finding, a requirement of the Clean Air Act recently upheld by the Supreme Court, makes it clear that greenhouse gas emissions must be regulated in order to control global warming and protect human health.