🚀 go-pugleaf

Ozone Action News 
vol. 2 No. 22  Nov. 3, 1995
"It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine." (REM)
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The Electric Environmental Acid Test
 
Welcome to the Capital's Magic Bus tour, where everything is the
opposite of what it seems and even the Merry Pranksters might
have been surprised by what they would find here.  If you
thought environmental damage just came from those members of
Congress we highlighted in the last Ozone Action News, consider
this.  The real threats to our ozone protection laws -- trashing
of Nobel Prize winning science notwithstanding -- are coming
from the Clinton Administration.  Hard to believe with Al Gore
and so many good enviros leavened throughout this Administration
but here's how it works.  
 
The single most important step that can be taken to further protect
the ozone layer, according to the United Nations' "Scientific
Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 1994," is the elimination of all
methyl bromide emissions from agricultural, structural, and
industrial activities in the year 2001. The response from Dan Miller
(R-FL) in the current anti-government free-for-all was to introduce
legislation to repeal the ban on the production of methyl bromide
in the United States after 2001. Big chemical agriculture interests
are behind this because  40 percent of the methyl bromide used
in the world is used in the United States, mostly to grow tomatoes
and strawberries in Florida and California.  
 
The ban, required by the 1990 Clean Air Act, and signed into law
by George Bush just before he left office, helped position the U.S.
as a world leader in the protection of the ozone layer, giving
us the credibility to go to the Montreal Protocol and convince the
rest of the nations to stop using this potent ozone depleter.  So
what's the Administration's response to the Miller legislation? 
Unfortunately, it has been to suggest loopholes (special use
exemptions) for the growers.  In other words, a ban might not
effect these farmers.  EPA Assistant Administrator Mary Nichols
suggested as much in her August 1 Congressional testimony.  The
Fresno Bee reported on September 10 that Clinton told growers he
would support a delay of the methyl bromide phase-out if
international competitors are still using it and no alternatives exist.  
 
Clarification for Intrepid Travelers  

A recent United Nations report states that for more than 90 percent of 
methyl bromide applications, there are either existing alternatives 
or alternatives inan advanced state of development.  The Administration 
is telling growers 6 years ahead of schedule not to try too hard.  Nobody is. 
Government funding of research into alternatives totals between
$13 million and $26 million.  Edward Ruckert speaking for the
agriculture producers' Crop Protection Coalition said recently that
the Coalition members have invested $2 million into their
quest for alternatives.  The total value to growers of the five top
crops fumigated with methyl bromide (fresh market tomatoes,
strawberries, tobacco, watermelon and bell peppers) is about
$5.3 billion a year. These guys are throwing nickels around like
sewer lids -- for a pesticide that current law says will not be
produced domestically after 2001.  Many of the largest chemical
farmers say they can't live without it. $2 million -- not something
Vince Lombardi would call a winning effort.  Even Deion Sanders
got a $35 million signing bonus.  
 
What's going on?  Are those smokestacks we see coming from the
White House?  Nah, just a sop to the big AG voters and donors,
particularly in California for the 1996 presidential race.  The
growers believe the fix is in. It is only we citizens who obey laws. 
Everyone else just pays to change them.This may explain a curious
itemthat appeared in the Washington Post, October 26.  The story
was about improper campaigncontributions to cover the campaign
debt of Henry Espy, who lost a bid to fill a Mississippi
congressional seat formerly held by his brother, Mike Espy.  Mike
Espy is the former Clinton Secretary of Agriculture who resigned
while under investigation for accepting illegal gratuities
from companies with business before the Agriculture Department. 
The curious part of the story is the last paragraph, "Sources
familiar with the investigation said Smaltz's [the independent
counsel] office is focusing on, among other things, an appeal made
by Mike Espy to the Environmental Protection Agency to delay a
ban on methyl bromide..."
 
So the Republican far right throws a head fake and gets
Clinton to sell out on key environmental issues.  As Clinton moves to
the right of most Americans on protecting our air, land and water,
moderate Republicans sweep in and steal the trust of
environmental voters away from the Democrats.  The New York
Times reported this quote from Newt Gingrich on October 24
regarding Republican's approach to environmental reforms, "I
think you'll see a more comprehensive and more sophisticated
approach.  I think the initial reaction against the regulators and the
bureaucrats was so intense that it sent the wrong signal."  Look
who got the wrong signal.

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