An article in Time titled, "George W. Bush's Last Environmental Stand," shares some of the changes that the Bush Administration feels must be done before they have no more power. These new changes are going to damage America's environment, and the article does not discuss the Bush Administration's purpose behind these changes. The article makes the Bush Administration look like their main goal is to upset people and hurt the environment. I think what the Bush Administration is doing is foolish and pointless. According to the article, the new changes will affect three major areas of our environment, power plant pollution, endangered species, and water quality.
For power plants, whenever an upgrade occurs, the Environmental Protection Agency reviews the plant to make sure it does not release too much pollution. If it does, it must make changes. The Bush Administration wants to change the rule so that plants focus on the hourly emission rate rather than the total amount of emissions. This will increase pollution in America's air.
For endangered species, when a development project is approved, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reviews the project to make sure it does not interfere with the lifestyle and safety of any endangered species. The Bush Administration wants to change the rule so that the federal agency in charge of the development project can determine if there will be a potential impact on endangered species. Of course the agency that is doing the project is going to say that there will be no impact on endangered species. This change will possibly make it easier for us to lose some of our endangered species.
For water quality, there is a 100-foot buffer zone around streams that protect the streams from mining operations. Although the Bush Administration want to put up more buffer zone so that lakes and wetlands will also have them, the Bush Administration is also reclassifying valley fills and other waste from mining as non-pollutant. This will increase water pollution overall.
I do not know what the Bush Administration was trying to accomplish with these last minute changes, but it does not seem like they put much thought into them. They definately were not trying to make Obama's life easier.
Bush, why can't you just leave?!
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The article I chose to comment on “Bush Can’t Just Leave!” can be found on Andrew’s Blog. Personal preferences aside, I found that Andrew chose a very interesting topic and included a credible source for his facts and information. He was successful in making his argument that last-minute changes by the Bush Administration will have a direct, negative impact on our environment. It is interesting to learn that the Bush Administration plans on making many changes which will have immediate effects on the environment. Some great examples of these changes such as changing power plant regulations; allowing agencies in charge of their own projects to determine whether or not they are endangering a species; and re-classifying water regulations are all clearly described in Andrew’s article.
While I do not agree that the main purpose of the administration changes is strictly to cause harm to the environment, I do think that the lack of logical explanation behind them coupled with the suggestion that the administration is cutting corners is completely unacceptable. Now, it seems, may be too late to prevent any of these changes from occurring. We can only hope things will improve in the future, and yes, I also think that Obama has his work cut out for him.
I personally found this article refreshing as it addressed a topic, the environment, which frequently seems to be overshadowed by other Bush Administration news (crime). I believe that Andrew’s article is intended for anyone who is concerned with the Bush Administration, the environment, and even the transition of power from President Bush to Obama.
In response to my classmate's blog, the amount of outrage there is to be had at the current president's changes that pass as he leaves office is extreme. It is hard to say how George W. Bush Jr. will be remembered in the next few decades, but it it obvious that what he puts into effect during these times will have a deep impact on Obama's administration and their limitations as well as what is in store for the environment in years to come.
Bush's proposed changes to how power plants handle their emissions will drastically affect the chemicals in the air. A simple shift of how the hourly rate will become the standard of measurement will lead to much more pollution a many animals and plants will suffer if the right precautions are not met. This will lead to water quality being affected as well, because it is a domino effect. The changes enacted by Bush are not creating anything positive.
Thus it is placed in Obama's hands to craft a new, and effective, system for preserving the environment in America with the inclusion of a national goal of better energy consumption. It is obvious that "going green" is mandatory in times like these that exhaust has been built up in our atmosphere.
Alternate sources of fuel has been becoming increasingly in need of attention as the efforts in Iraq will pave the way for oil and how it is handled in the U.S. in the coming years. Hybrid cars may be beneficial to those who save at the pump in the now but also the best proposed solution for the future when it comes to converting something that is more electric and not reliant on gasoline. This is but one of many actions that will affect emissions in the environment but also the mentality of a more energy efficient automobile.
The president-elect will truly enact guidelines for a more environmental conscious plan than our current President, although it will prove to be a hard path if the latter continues to set obstacles for this upcoming administration.
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