Obama’s EPA Sets Out to Destroy US Factories With Boilers; Affecting Millions of US Jobs (Updated)
Posted by Jim Hoft on Sunday, June 26, 2011, 8:57 AM
Thousands of power plants, manufacturing plants, paper mills, refineries, chemical plants, schools and hospitals use boilers at their facilities. Literally millions of jobs rely on affordable energy from these facilities, and those jobs are put at risk if those boilers can no longer be installed and run in a cost effective manner.
Burnham’s Independence Series gas-fired boiler
The Wall Street Journal reported:
The Environmental Protection Agency said Friday it would delay issuing final regulations aimed at cutting pollution from factory boilers until April 2012, amid pressure from industry groups and lawmakers.
The EPA decision came just days after a top EPA official publicly touted the health and economic benefits of a separate but similar rule to control mercury emissions from aging coal-fired power plants.
The EPA faces increasing pressure from Congress and business groups to slow down a broad regulatory agenda, including proposals to curb carbon dioxide emissions using the Clean Air Act and several rules aimed at clamping down on emissions from coal-burning power plants.
The boiler rules were the target of a House bill introduced by four Republicans and four Democrats Wednesday that would give the agency 15 months to finalize the boiler rules and allow factories at least five years to comply.
…EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has said stronger controls on emissions of toxic substances such as mercury from boilers would yield a significant improvement to public health.
Opposition to the boiler rules, which would affect paper mills, refineries, chemical factories and other facilities, has been vigorous. The regulations face headwinds from an array of industry groups, from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to representatives of cement makers and biofuel refineries, many of which have lobbied for a delay.
A federal court has ordered the EPA to implement the boiler standards, but the agency has said it needed more time for public input. This latest delay would push the deadline for compliance to 2015 from 2014.
“This is the best approach to put in place technically and legally sound standards that will bring significant health benefits to the American public,” the agency said Friday.
The EPA’s delay has frustrated environmental and public-health groups, which cite evidence that the rules would save lives and avert thousands of heart and asthma attacks.
Industry, on the other hand, has said that the rules would be extremely costly and difficult to implement.
The EPA claims their latest job-killing regulations will prevent thousands of heart and asthma attacks. Hogwash. This is about as honest as the global warming junk science curriculum that the leftists push on children in Maryland. Boilers have been around since the 19th century, are necessary for industry and commerce, and are already highly regulated. This is just another attempt by the American left to control and destroy American industry.
UPDATE: Matt O. from Washington sent this in:
Things are fairly complicated regarding the boiler rule business. I”m mainly writing to tell you that it isn’t about natural-gas fueled boilers (as in the photo)— they burn clean— but is mainly about coal and the new thing, “biomass”.
Obama and the EPA are pushing biomass burning as a CO2, global warming, control measure. However, the only reason why industry is involved with new projects involving biomass used to produce electricity is because of the subsidies. Here in Washington State utilities are required to buy a certain amount of their power from “renewable” sources. So the plan is to collect what’s left over at clearcuts of the forest and demolition wood and burn that— just to get the subsidy.
My point: if you’re on the side of lax rules for emissions you’re with the industrial crooks who want the subsidy.
Of course, it makes perfect sense that the libs have somehow inserted their costly green agenda into the boiler business.
Thanks Matt.
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Published May 21, 2012 at 12:19 am - 41 Comments
forest commented:
“EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has said stronger controls on emissions of toxic substances such as mercury from boilers would yield a significant improvement to public health.”
You know what will have a actual negative impact on public health, Lisa? The collapse of productive activities and the end of private property rights in this country. People live short, drunk, unhealthy, unhappy lives in commie countries.
kansas commented:
You know what has a negative impact is these affirmative action dolts being put in positions of authority.
Cracker Mike commented:
The Obama Manifesto: Destroy!!, Destroy business, religion (while establishing I-Slam), institutions, infrastructure. Destroy everything the hated and despised American culture has ever developed. REPLACE them with the “New Socialist Norm”. False accusations of racism is the enforcement and punishment mechanism.
noah commented:
We have got to stop this EPA they are truly evil and doing everything in their own power to destroy America thank you Cass Sunstien you’re one of the biggest problems in the Obama administration you and Holdren are horrible wicked humans and some day soon I pray, you will be seen in orange jumpsuits with silver shackles.
We have got to defeat Obama and repeal every single thing the EPA has been up to these past few Obama years, well really for over 20 years they are getting worse and more power crazed now with the Marxist Socialist communist in charge.
They couldn’t get Cap and Trade passed so they are going to nudge us over the top and into a third world s@#t hole. We need to end this power-crazed administration. I hate you Sunstain and Holdren as much as I hate obama, Jarrett, Holder and everyone else in the Obama czar filled administration. You are truly evil vile people; Karma will catch up to you that is a promise.
You will not get away with this for much longer.
Eddie Willers commented:
Laughably these lunatics are insisting I purchase low output CFL bulbs that contain so much Mercury You’ll neeed a Haz-Mat team if you ever break one in your house.
Must remove the Mercury bubbled thermostats to set your heat & Air Conditioner but bring in boat loads more mercury with these new Lights that Obama’s GOOD FRIENDS at G E manufacture.
But Naaaaah this isn’t about picking winners & losers in industry at all, not even a little bit…
Give me a break!!!
Eddie Willers commented:
We can save money by defunding all the departments that start with the letter E
Environment
Energy
Education
#1AMERICAN commented:
odumbass the mooslime destroying america more and more with each passing day
Doc54 commented:
Jobs killing?…..what we really need here is the DEATH of the EPA, this is all BS, just like Global warming! Does the gov’t and the EPA really believe we’re stupid enough to buy this BS? It’s high time “WE THE PEOPLE” start taking this country back from these idiots who are trying to turn the USA into a 3rd world country!!
Robert commented:
This statement need further clarification;
“A federal court has ordered the EPA to implement the boiler standards,”
a former dem commented:
the EPA has turned into the Employment Prevention Agency.
I’m sure China will be more than happy to sell America some EPA approved boilers.
For those that don’t know, China is doing this with all products, example: ban those regular lightbulbs, so that industry goes to China, then those “energy efficient” mercury filled bulbs, EPA will make it extremely cost ineffective to produce it in America, so that industry goes to China as well.
Result: America loses 2 industries, China gains them both.
The fed govt with all its tentacles is the biggest impediment to job creation in this country.
JKB commented:
They really are trying to roll back the entire industrial revolution. Or at least their weak understanding of it. Odd thing is that there were no socialist utopias before the industrial revolution as GDP rose in direct correlation with population. It was only with the multiplier effect of automation and industrial production that excess productivity was possible. Productivity that made slavery untenable, provided resources to care for the unfortunate, and provided low cost goods rather than production only affordable by the leach classes.
Also, note how they keep pushing the date back. That is so, they can reply to any adult who might comment about how such rules damage hiring and business that they aren’t implemented so therefore aren’t Obama’s fault. Like children, the liberals, are unable to understand that adults must take into account not only the current situation but also plan for the future. instead, we now have them suddenly discovering the pocket are empty as they were unable to plan out how to budget their allowance. And like children, having taken all the advances on their allowance possible, now demand more money anyway for their instant gratification.
chicago commented:
EPA got an 80% increase in funds from 2008 levels. now we know why.
L.E. Liesner commented:
If Congress was really serious about curtalling the EPA’s regulations, why don’t they just defund the whole EPA and put it out of business. Talk is cheap, it takes money to buy whiskey.
toongoon commented:
Turban and Schemer said that the republicans are trying to sabotage the economy. Obama and the democrats admit they are doing the destruction just by projection.
This is just one more incidence of proof of the democrats trying to destroy the economy.
Valerie commented:
Is it possible, that with the effective implementation of regulations to clean up the US air and water, that the EPA was left without a mission it could use to justify its existence? Could that be the cause of the drive to expand its mission to cover pollutants that 1) have never been regarded as pollutants before (carbon, carbon dioxide) and 2) known pollutants that are substantially under control (mercury from thoroughly regulated power plants)?
What we have here might be similar to the search by the March of Dimes organization after polio was eradicated. The organization, which was started to eradicate polio, achieved its goal, and then, instead of disbanding after victory, chose to pursue other goals. Perhaps this is the phenomenon we see with the EPA.
I submit that, if the EPA is in need of new goals, it is not the EPA, but Congress, in consultation with the American people, to decide what the EPA should do. An executive agency that self-expands its mission is a rogue in need of control.
Further, there are legitimate areas where EPA’s services could be more effectively utilized. The EPA could be re-directed to a helpful role for industry, namely by defining what industrial processes are “clean enough” to be built. The EPA could summarize and simplify its knowledge base with the goal of making the environmental permitting process faster, easier, and more effective to ALLOW the timely building of production plants that are clean. In one sense, the EPA’s job isn’t finished until its paperwork is done. That is, until it can come up with a reliable way to give a positive go-ahead to new manufacturing projects.
This would be a huge service to our people.
The EPA could also be charged with monitoring incoming products, so that those products meet standards already long set in this country. They could keep the lead out of toys and children’s jewelry, for instance, not to mention pesticides and salmonella out of our produce. They could do forensic work when pollution violations occur (and they do happen). They could sponsor the development of detectors for radioactive materials entering our country. They could sponsor research into how to handle an EMP disaster.
None of this requires an expansion of the EPA’s budget. They are trying to find new missions because they have excess capacity as it is.
I sympathize with those who would simply shut down the EPA for its offenses, but I do believe that Congress and the Executive branch have not given them the necessary direction at this time. Further, there would be waste involved if the EPA failed to complete its mission by failing to define what it takes to build a “clean” manufacturing plant in a practical, approvable manner. This is a more complex assignment that it appears at first glance, and it could be of great value to our industrial base. It would also be timely, and simple announcement of the new goal would speed recovery of the economy.
paul52 commented:
Dead on, Eddie. 3 outfits that need to be put out of (our) business.
wanumba commented:
There’s also the strange situation with lightbulbs.
The incandescents are glass and metal and gas, packed in thin paper boxes. They are by the materials put into them, cheap. 100% recyclable or neutral all natural waste.
The new bulbs have plastic, a lot more glass, computer chip, mercury and gas. They are packed in more heavy rigid plastic. They are not 100% recyclable, they contain mercury and plastic, adding toxic materials to waste, thus greatly adding costs in disposing of them. Not marginal cost increases, huge costs across the board. The high price of them reflects the inputs to make, deliver them to the customer.
So, in the name of saving a few pennies on the electrical bill at home, more than 10x the energy was used at the factory to transport in all the materials, manufacture these things with many times the inputs and thus a far greater energy expense for each component. Even the packaging is more expensive and harder/toxic to dispose of, so even more costs associated with disposal, extra to the purchase or manufacture costs.
THey’ve just shifted the national energy drain from the house to the factory, and at a damaging higher consumption rate that dwarfs the national energy usage of the old bulbs, from manufacture to entire life of usage to disposal.
How stupid are people to think that they’re doing something “good” by paying ten bucks to save 8 cents on their monthly bill when the bulb itself is literally an energy black hole?
THat’s all it took, just put the collossal consumption out of sight at the factory and it’s okay?
It’s not just the bulbs, but the uncritical mentality that’s so appalling.
Mark commented:
Do the environment a favor, abolish the EPA.
toongoon commented:
#15 Valerie commented:
If the goal is to improve America you would have a good argument, but the goal of this dictator and his lackeys is obviously not one of improvement but of hardship.
The regulations coming from any group that this president oversees are beyond comprehension or reason and they do not feel that they owe any responsible explanation to the American people, and any type debate about them is racist or irresponsible.
So a reasonable alternative, such as what you suggested, though a wise and well thought out, is merely a distraction.
Mueller commented:
Another way to drive up the price of gasolene. refineries crack crude using steam.
Ipso Facto commented:
They are telling us that their latest job-killing regulations will prevent thousands of heart and asthma attacks”, yet this is entirely conjecture.
How about they publish the real data about the instances of health problems we have all incurred since the economy tanked due to the Democrat’s failed policies. How many people have had heart attacks from stress, depression from living on the edge for so long, high blood pressure because people can’t pay their bills, or exacerbations of many other conditions that are attributable to people worrying every day how they are going to get by?
I’ll bet there are statistics that are being burred about how people are incurring real health problems that are attributable to the suffering that has resulted from the absurd programs the Democrats have been implementing.
And they now want yet again to make the economy worse on us all in the name of improvement – please!
Mueller commented:
Oh. And Valerliie.
The standards that the EPA employs that you are in love with, are , for the most part, made up from whole cloth.
Acceptable standards for e.coli in potable water are arrived at scientifically. Say .005 ppb. Without any studies of their own the EPA will say to halve that number.
Not really a needed agency.
xqqme commented:
“Productivity that made slavery untenable”
this little phrase by JKB tells the whole story
Freddy commented:
Make no mistake. The EPA is no longer interested in improving the envronment. The EPA is a tool that is being used to destroy the USA. The people that run, and many that work, at the EPA simply want to destroy this country.
We need to end the EPA as a function of the federal government.
avery commented:
I wonder if GE are making these Boilers in China.
Rose commented:
Send the EPA employees to North Korea until their lungs clear out of American Air Pollution so they can see clearly.
I figure that will take 150 years each employee.
tommy mc donnell commented:
its a marxists job to destroy the existing order. when the marxists take over there will be no such concerns about pollution or an EPA either.
Gary B. commented:
If you have a hot water tank at your, that’s a boiler. Where does it end??
Gary B. commented:
If you have a hot water tank at your home, that’s a boiler.
USNJIMRET commented:
Gary B……..
Boiler
n. An enclosed vessel in which water is heated and circulated, either as hot water or as steam, for heating or power.
A water heater in your home is NOT a boiler. The purpose of a boiler is to heat a fluid, usually water, above or very near it’s boiling point. Generally the resulting steam is used to turn the vanes on a generator, although that steam can be used for other purposes.
The water heater in my basement will NOT raise the temperature of the water supply to the boiling point. Thus, it most certainly is not a boiler.
Not that it doesn’t mean that some bureaucrat won’t be looking to further regulate even that “pollution” generating device.
The degree of ‘interest’ at the EPA in making just about every form of modern convenience a threat to public health and/or safety appears to be a bottomless pit.
One that I would prefer to see most of it’s workers shoveled into!
As for the EPA itself, and it’s ever expanding, self defined “mission”……
It seems to me that much like the Civil Rights “issue”, no matter how much progress has been achieved, there are many who will continue to make the alarmist claim that mankind is but one more unregulated something from global disaster. The amount of actual, demonstrable and fact based racism it less the certainly any time in my 56 years on the planet. Yet to hear some blacks talk, we are one step away from another “Mississippi Burning” news report. Ditto for the environmental wacko’s, who have a never ending list of controls, rules, regulations, bans and lies to bolster their claim that nearly every current activity of humans is sure to destroy the entire planet! And, again, never mind how many previously seriously polluted rivers, lakes, landfills and air spaces have been remarkably improved in the last 40+ years since the EPA founding. In some measures, the EPA has been at least partly responsible for some of the recovery. I would even go so far as to say that having a Federally empowered Agency to provide some measure of oversight on polluters, real/imagined/current or potential, is something that the Nation needs. (Not with the amount of autonomy and power that the Agency has grown to, and absolutely NOT without serious and powerful oversight by Congress!)
Many people call for the total and immediate dismantling of the EPA, and/or dismissal of everything they have ever implemented. Clearly, IMO, this is neigh on to impossible! The number of Court actions that have provided legal “certification” of EPA actions, in a lot of cases, makes the base volume of environmental “law” more then anyone could reasonably expect to be done away with in any kind of “reasonable” time. Courts are notorious for being more then a little unwilling to even review, much less overturn, their own previous actions/rulings/”opinions”. Many people understand that the tentacles of government are very seriously entwined through our economy and day-to-day life. Unwinding those ‘strings’, even if there were willing and compliant Federal Courts available, would be a decades long effort. Besides, as much as the EPA has been pretty much the embodiment of Bureaucratic “Evil”, there are some, however few they might be, actions of theirs that are good. Anyone who believes that those no longer polluted areas of the country would have gotten that way if their clean up had been left, solely, to the polluters who fouled them in the first place……well THAT’S nothing but a dream!
I don’t pretend to have all the answers, or even a decent portion of them. But I DO believe that the very best we could hope for is a freeze on any further development of EPA doctrine, and a cessation of implementing any “in progress” rule making. (I’m not going to try and cover all the words that apply. Rules, regulations, directives, advisories, etc, etc, etc….I mean that if the EPA hasn’t published and had court challenge ‘approved’, then those efforts STOP. Immediately!!!)
Then the long term effort to dismantle the bureaucratic hydra can begin.
dwd commented:
I’d like to see ONE Republican candidate run on the plaform of: “I will undo everything Obama has done”
See how voters respond to that.
aprilnovember811 commented:
dwd,
John Bolton said he would. If he is running, he will announce by Labor Day. He is brilliant and tough as nails. Has a very quick wit also. He would be my first choice. Here is a great article about him. He is not easily intimidated, and I think he’d make a fantastic President. As a mom, I would feel extremely safe with him in there. He is a patriot and actually an American that we know for sure.
JUNE 20, 2011 3:00 P.M.
Bolton 2012?
The former U.N. ambassador weighs a presidential run.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/270058/bolton-2012-robert-costa