Barbara Lee Introduces Environment and Public Health Restoration Act Bill Requires Scientific Review of the Impact of Bush Environmental Policies
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) introduced H.R. 5235, The Environment and Public Health Restoration Act, legislation that would require an extensive review of the impact of changes the Bush administration has made and proposes making to environmental policy.
“Over the last five years, through legislation and rule changes, the Bush Administration has effectively gutted the regulatory infrastructure for environmental protection,” said Lee. “By and large these environmental rollbacks have prioritized the short-term economic needs and interests of businesses over the long-term interest of public health and the people.”
Lee’s bill will require an unbiased scientific review by the National Academies of Science of eight rule changes made during the Bush Administration to the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and the National Forest Management Act, as well as the so-called Healthy Forests Restoration Act, and the President’s proposed Clear Skies Initiative to asses the impact on public health, air quality, water quality, wildlife, or the environment.
The NAS will submit a publicly available report to Congress and the relevant departments and agencies that recommends either the restoration of the pre-existing rules or laws, or proposes improvements upon them in whole or in part. The administration will then have six months to report to Congress with a plan that implements the recommendations of the NAS.
“We need to put the science back into our environmental policies, and returning to policymaking for the common good,” said Lee. “Our policies should be designed to protect public health, air quality, water quality and the global climate, not pander to polluters.”
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