EPA Administrator Jackson Predicts Congress Passing Cap-Trade Bill

Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – Congress will pass a Cap and Trade bill cutting carbon emissions through industrial trade-offs, announced Lisa Jackson, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at a Luncheon event at the National Press Club on Monday.

Jackson said the drive for cleaner air and water has wide support. “Everyone wants a clean environment Ten out of 10 Republicans want clean air to breathe. Ten out of 10 Democrats think safe water is important. Ask all 20, and they’d actually agree.”?

“When the air is dirty, or the water is contaminated, and people are getting sick, those kinds of health costs are multiplied by millions of families,” she said, adding, “…they’re a burden to small businesses trying to provide health care to their workers. Good environmental protection is critical to our health, and because of that it’s critical to our economy. Second, environmental protection is critical to our health, and because of that it’s critical to our economy.”

Earlier introducing EPA Chief, Alan Bjerga, the National Press Club President said, “(Jackson) in December declared greenhouse gas emissions a threat to the public welfare, is being criticized by Senators and Congressmen from both parties, and is being sued by at least three states.”

“She is at the center of the debate between those who think the government should require businesses to cut global warming emissions and those who say such a move would harm an already fragile economy,” Bjerga added.??Jackson in her address, labelled lobbyists battling the agency’s clean-up efforts as committing “an act of breathtaking negligence.”

“Once again, alarmists are claiming that (these efforts) will be the death knell of our economy. Once again they are telling us we have to choose the economy or environment,” she said.??

Jackson said alarmists are going against the overwhelming desire of the American people for a cleaner environment now rather than continue to subject their children to the dirty air and other climate hazards that endanger asthmatics, such as her own son, and sufferers of cancer and heart disease.??

“This is happening despite the overwhelming science on the dangers of climate changing — despite the Supreme Court 2007 decision directing EPA” to increase its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, she said.

Going down the memory lane, Jackson recalled how the catalytic converter, now standard on American automobiles,  was “extremely controversial” 30 years ago, as something that used unleaded fuel.

“The Chamber of Commerce claimed, and I quote, ‘entire industries might collapse.’ Using the Clean Air Act in this way was said to be a poison pill for our economy — something that sounds all too familiar around Washington today.”??And despite all the controversy, “the auto industry survived,” Jackson said.

“Dangerous lead pollution in our air is 92% lower than it was in 1980. By 1985 the reductions of lead in our environment had estimated health benefits of $282 billion in revenues and $40 billion in exports, and supported 1.6 million American jobs. And that number doesn’t include all the engineers and professional services firms that support those businesses.”??

As for the phase out of ozone-depleting CFCs years ago, controversy was immense, she said. “CFCs were the chemicals in aerosol cans and other products that led to a growing hole in the ozone layer. I remember a lot of people wondering if they were going to have to give up their hairspray or their deodorant — and not being to happy about it. And they weren’t the only ones. The chemical industry predicted severe economic disruption. Refrigeration companies forecast shutdowns of supermarket coolers and chiller machines used to cool office buildings, hotels and hospitals.”?

Comparing EPA to an iceberg, Jackson said, “About 90% of what we do as an agency is under the waterline, really invisible to the average American. But, the 10% that’s above the line is the 10% that says there is a place in the federal government which has only one mission. That’s clean air, clean water, safe products.”

Jackson reassured the audience that whatever the stand is taken on various issues including, pesticides, off-shores drilling and site-cleaning, American people will be consulted.

EPA Chief reiterated the need for the American people to help concluding, “…no matter what you think of the Clean Air Act, air is all of ours. So, it’s just as important to your state as mine that we all pitch in to keep it clean and healthy.” 

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