BREAKING - EPA completes Air Toxics Rule, blocks 90% of mercury from coal-burning power plants

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Wednesday December 21, 2011 · 11:56 AM PST

2011/12/21 · 11:56

Nice to have some good news every once in a while!

From EPA's press release:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, the first national standards to protect American families from power plant emissions of mercury and toxic air pollution like arsenic, acid gas, nickel, selenium, and cyanide. The standards will slash emissions of these dangerous pollutants by relying on widely available, proven pollution controls that are already in use at more than half of the nationâs coal-fired power plants.
EPA estimates that the new safeguards will prevent as many as 11,000 premature deaths and 4,700 heart attacks a year. The standards will also help Americaâs children grow up healthier â preventing 130,000 cases of childhood asthma symptoms and about 6,300 fewer cases of acute bronchitis among children each year.

Environmental Defense Fund has some reasons why this rule rules:

The emission reductions in this rule will result in up to 11,000 fewer premature deaths each year.

and

The new rule will prevent thousands of heart attacks, bronchitis cases and asthma attacks. This will provide annual benefits of as much as $90 billion beginning in 2016.

Anyway, just passing along the good news.

Thanks, Lisa Jackson! Thanks, EPA! And thanks to everyone who kept pressure on them to do the right thing here.

Start a personal fundraising page NOW. It WORKS.

portermason

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Thursday September 18, 2008 · 8:52 AM PDT

2008/09/18 · 08:52

NOTE: I'm sure I'm largely preaching to the choir here, but this is just in case anyone in the choir isn't using this particular tool yet.

I finally started a personal fundraising page for the Obama campaign yesterday. And I just wanted to make a diary saying: WOW.

portermason

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Wednesday September 17, 2008 · 12:01 PM PDT

2008/09/17 · 12:01

Obama's on fire at a rally in Nevada. He opened with the line in the title, in reaction to McCain's comments he would fight against the "old boys' network" in Washington.

Watch it live now:

http://origin.barackobama.com/...

I'll add choice quotes as they come in:

"This whole pretense that he's going to take on these folks when he hasn't taken them on for 26 years is ridiculous."

portermason

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Friday August 29, 2008 · 10:25 AM PDT

2008/08/29 · 10:25

...I know Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton is a friend of mine. Governor Palin, you're no Hillary Clinton."

- Future quote of Obama, Biden or anyone else who wants to say it

portermason

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Wednesday January 30, 2008 · 10:55 AM PST

2008/01/30 · 10:55

This is more a question to Kossacks: why has the focus on Edwards future revolved around him being Attorney General in a Democratic administration? Partly, the answer to my question may be that's simple the rumor that came out of the Obama camp.

But watching his speech today in New Oreans, and remembering once again the passion he feels for America's poor... it makes me think: why not make this guy Secretary of Health and Human Services?

Poll

54 votes Show Results

How could JRE be best used in a Democratic administration?

54 votes Vote Now!

How could JRE be best used in a Democratic administration?

Secretary of Health and Human Services

7 votes

Attorney General

27 votes

Vice President!

7 votes

President! (write-ins FTW!)

10 votes

Or as Cannonball Adderley would say, "Somethin' Else"

3 votes

"Democracy! Worship the crap out of it!"

portermason

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Saturday October 23, 2004 · 7:21 PM PDT

2004/10/23 · 19:21

A very funny piece about the faith-based presidency:

http://www.tjmonkeys.com/thought.php?theid=1005

His basic point is: the Bible isn't exactly a bastion of democracy. You know, if anything, God is mainly an autocratic figure. You could argue that the New Testament is more about power to the people (though it still does mainly promote blindly following Jesus), but the Old Testament is pretty much, "Do what God says without question."

Bush seems like a kind of Old Testament sorta guy.

Vote with your wallet: Eat a Whopper today.

portermason

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Wednesday October 20, 2004 · 8:38 AM PDT

2004/10/20 · 08:38

The dudes on "Unfiltered" had a good suggestion today:

Burger King was one of the larger national sponsors that pulled ads from Sinclair during this whole hubbub. And in fact, they are to be commended because they pulled their ads not only from the proposed airtime of the anti-Kerry documentary, but FROM THE ENTIRE DAY FROM ALL THE STATIONS. That's a big chunk of change Sinclair lost.

So "Unfiltered" suggested that we show our support in a very simple way today: everybody go have a Whopper for lunch today. And ask for extra Heinz ketchup. Maybe even get one of those paper crowns and wear it fancily around town.

Vote with your wallet, people! Money talks. Hamburgers are delicious. It's a win-win.

RSS

BREAKING - EPA completes Air Toxics Rule, blocks 90% of mercury from coal-burning power plants

Start a personal fundraising page NOW. It WORKS.

"Old boys' network? At the McCain campaign, that's called a staff meeting."

"Governor Palin, I served with Hillary Clinton...

Edwards for Health and Human Services?

"Democracy! Worship the crap out of it!"

Vote with your wallet: Eat a Whopper today.