EPA Creating Jobs while Protecting the USA

• the E.P.A. will continue to do its job, which is to protect the health of the American people 

  jobs are being produced through this environmental clean-up work 

  •  17,500 properties have been cleaned up recently, creating 70,000 jobs

  60 percent of Americans believe the E.P.A. “needs to hold polluters accountable,”

  • 75% or three-fourths of Americans favor tougher regulations on pollution in order to protect our air and water
   
• the contamination of our soil and water is the number one issue for Americans

•  Protect the EPA from Republican Polluters

E.P.A. Administrator Jackson Fights Back

04/08/2011 by asladirt    emphasis Added by Scotty

EPA Admin Lisa Jackson

At the national Brownfields conference in Philadelphia, which was attended by more than 7,000 national and local policymakers, engineers, designers, and artists, E.P.A. Administrator Lisa Jackson said Republican members of Congress are trying to cut funding to the E.P.A. and limit its ability to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Jackson said some members of Congress see the E.P.A. as “over-reaching and only out for power.” While this “back and forth is important to our democracy,” the E.P.A. will “continue to do its job, which is to protect the health of the American people, while moving ahead.”

Jackson said much of the country is scaling back due to the tough economic times and the federal government “also needs to take responsibility.” However, she believes there’s a “reasonable way to scale back.”

While some Republicans are convinced that the E.P.A. is trying to “grab power” and any attempt to regulate the GHG emissions will, in effect, cost jobs, Jackson said Republicans should just look at the work local communities are doing to restore brownfield sites and see how many jobs are being produced through this environmental clean-up work.  Jackson said, “if they could only see the before and after of this vital brownfields work.”

According to a recent poll by USA Today, some 60 percent of Americans believe the E.P.A. “needs to hold polluters accountable,” said Jackson. In addition, some “three-fourths of Americans favor tougher regulations on pollution in order to protect our air and water.” She believes “the contamination of our soil and water is the number one issue for Americans.” If there’s more pollution, we’ll only “see more sickness and more contaminated sites.”

Within the E.P.A., brownfield work is a “point of pride.” Some 17,500 properties have been cleaned up recently, creating 70,000 jobs. Jackson said she would make brownfield remediation a continued priority. She added “brownfield redevelopment can be a part of conservation efforts as well.”

Jackson also highlighted the new sustainable community building block program that is a part of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, which was formed with the U.S. Department of Transporation and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Some 32 communities just received grants that will bring in private sector experts to help conduct “walkability audits.” Both large cities and small communities won grants.

Before getting her second standing ovation, Jackson said, “these are challenging times but we need to uphold the environmental laws of this country.”

 crossposted Image credit: E.P.A. Administrator Lisa Jackson / DC Streets  Blog