Climate Change
With the Democrats now in control of Congress, the White House faces a new assault on its environmental policies
Democrats are promising to ratchet up funding over Bush's request, while moving to reintroduce the Superfund tax. Many in the GOP are vowing to fight, saying the broad corporate tax penalizes polluters and nonpolluters alike. The House hasn't held a single Superfund hearing in five years. That's likely to change.
Irate over perchlorate. While it's not a household word, chances are perchlorate is in your household. This rocket fuel contaminant can be found in drinking water in 35 states, as well as in milk, lettuce, and other foods. It can cause hypothyroidism, particularly in women, and harm fetal development. But determining what level of perchlorate is safe has been the subject of a backroom Washington brawl between the Defense Department, the primary source of the pollution, and the EPA. In 2002, the EPA was on the verge of recommending a restrictive perchlorate standard on drinking water of 1 part per billion, when, to the surprise of EPA scientists, the assessment was handed over to the National Academy of Sciences, which came under pressure to downplay perchlorate's hazards, according to documents obtained by environmental groups.
After undertaking the unusual request, the academy recommended a standard of 24.5 ppb, enraging Boxer and others who represent states with perchlorate contamination. California is setting its standard at 6 ppb. In a testy February hearing with Boxer, EPA chief Johnson pointed out that EPA tests showed only 2 percent of water samples contained perchlorate levels over 4 ppb. To date, the EPA hasn't decided whether it will set any standards for perchlorate at all. And the military is deferring any cleanup until regulations are established. On her first day as chair, Boxer introduced bills that would require the EPA to continue testing and set a standard for perchlorate, measures likely to meet stiff objections from congressional supporters of the Defense Department. A similar fight is likely in the House.
Still, it's unclear if any action by amped-up Democrats will change the fundamental dynamic in Washington on so many environmental issues. In both chambers, majorities are slim, making legislation difficult to pass, and the Bush administration still has some 21 months to run.
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