EPA copy/pasted industry arguments on air pollution limits

Macha

Pretty shocking story breaking around Europe about an industry takeover of the process to decide air pollution limits for power plants. It was front page news in quite a few countries today, including Greece, Germany and Spain.

Lots of countries seem to have actually sent industry reps to act as government reps which is bad enough. In Ireland's case, it looks like the EPA has been copy/pasting industry arguments for weaker emission limits. Apparently the arguments are word-for-word identical.

It's all the more shocking as the European Environmental Agency just released a report on Tuesday saying hundreds of thousands of Europeans will suffer a premature death in the next two decades as the result of governments’ failure to act on air pollution.

UK media story here:

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/05/industry-lobbyists-weakened-europes-air-pollution-rules-say-greenpeace

vinnie13

the only reason we have the epa is to look good around the world,as for it been of any use that is a laugh,i can actually see them copy and paste just because they dont understand anything about it to submit a self written file.

Del.Monte

And there was me believing that Ireland was safe because we have the Environmental Protection Agency. :rolleyes:

Macha

Oh wow, the lamest excuse ever from the EPA in this article by the Indo:

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/watchdog-denies-lobbying-for-power-producers-31048205.html