With Michael Leavitt's nomination as Environmental Protection Agency administrator about to be taken up by the Senate this week, bear in mind that George W. Bush has "the worst environmental record in history," according to senator and presidential candidate Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.). The worst in history, worse than Genghis Khan! Bush is engaged in an "assault on the environment," according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, a respected environmental group.
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Bush Faces Hostile Environment
His record has been distorted. From air and water pollution to forests and wildlife, things are getting better.
Commentary
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday October 23, 2003 Home Edition California Part B Page 17 Editorial Pages Desk 1 inches; 42 words Type of Material: Correction
Environment -- An Oct. 14 Commentary piece incorrectly stated that President Bush "ordered that diesel fuel be reformulated to reduce its inherent pollution content." The regulation was published by President Clinton. Bush's order was that the Clinton rule be implemented without delay.
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The president has a "horrible" environmental record and his decisions are "transparently a giveaway to Mr. Bush's corporate allies," according to the New York Times editorial page. Bush is "gutting environmental protection," says quasi-Democratic Sen. James Jeffords (I-Vt.) of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Practically all commentary about the Bush environmental record goes on in this humor -- it's a disaster, it's a nightmare, the world is ending.
Now it's true that there are some major defects in Bush's environmental policy -- mainly its lack of global warming reform and its failure to seek meaningful fuel-economy increases for SUVs and the misnamed "light" pickup trucks that increasingly dominate auto sales. But otherwise most of the charges made against the White House are baloney -- baloney being rolled and deep-fried with cheese for purposes of partisan political bashing and fund-raising.
First, consider that all forms of air pollution except greenhouse gases have been declining for decades. Overall, air pollution is down 48% since 1970, though the American population has risen substantially during that period. Acid rain is down 41% since 1980. Nitrogen oxide emissions, which contribute to smog, are down 33% since 1990. All forms of air pollution except greenhouse gases declined under Bill Clinton and continue to decline under George W. Bush.
Commentators are outraged about changes that Bush made in the "new source rule" that governs aging power plants in the Midwest. They don't add that emissions from those very facilities have been declining steadily -- a 40% reduction since 1980, even as electricity production in the Midwest has increased. The worst-case analysis is that Bush's changes will only slow the rate of decline.
