By Harry C. AlfordNNPA Columnist
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) always had a shady purpose. Its origin lies with the presidency Richard M. Nixon, who was very concerned about the Civil Rights Movement linking up with the Anti-Vietnam War movement. He needed a diversion and came up with the fledgling environmental movement.
He took the EPA, which was a small bureau buried in the Department of Interior, and made it a free standing agency. He also fully supported the annual Earth Day event with the new and empowered EPA supporting it in grand fashion. Both aforementioned movements bought the ruse. Even today many civil rights groups believe in the concept known as Environmental Racism or Environmental Justice. It is a “Bogey Man.”
President William J. Clinton came to power in 1992 and directed Vice President Al Gore to take the EPA to the top. Their EPA administrator was Carol Browner, a pure zealot when it comes to global warming or climate change. This was the beginning of the Environmental Protection Agency becoming more than a part of the Executive Branch of government. It became a “monster.” The new players sought power – pure, out of control power by any means necessary. Business coalitions feared the economy would falter under the new onslaught of rules and regulations. Congress would defeat any obscene legislation that was tried;thus they used rules and regulations that slipped through and, in effect, became law itself.
The Clinton administration was checked, at least boxed in. Things cooled off under the succeeding Bush administration. But after six years of Obama, the extremists are on the attack and business is finding itself reeling from expensive and unnecessary rules and regulations. Browner is an adviser to the administration and Gore cashed in on his vile and false predictions. He’s a Nobel Peace Prize winner and a billionaire. Yes, there is big money in this environmental hustle. Let’s look at some of the horrors that are coming out of this “basket of fraud and deceit.”
Since 1997, every rule concerning air quality standards are based on false calculations. This has been proven by the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Billions upon billions of dollars have been spent by Americans to get into compliance with these false standards. How did this happen? Believe it or not there were some executives at the EPA who were just plain corrupt and lazy. The ring leader was a guy named John Beale who is currently in prison for the things he was doing. We are learning more and more from the criminal who is now starting to talk to authorities. There should be indictments flying all over the place at EPA but, of course, we now have an attorney general who protects criminals by avoiding any prosecution of them. Beale might still be there doing his dastardly duties if he didn’t confess his sins. In the end, they will be going to jail by the dozens with or without Attorney General Holder. Read all about this: http://1.usa.gov/1mhmZTU.
Another thing the EPA is doing is called “Sue and Settle.” This is when extremist environmental groups such as the Sierra Club will file a suit against the EPA and the EPA immediately settles the case by agreeing to do whatever the environmental group wants. In effect, this is writing new rules and laws without legislative approval. It is a simple con game and it is being played on virtually a weekly basis. This is your tax money they are spending. It affects our cost of living as prices are driven up because businesses are faced with these costs and the end user (us) will pay at the cash register for the increased fees.
A good example of some of the major deceptions is the recent definition of “waters of the U.S.” which amended the Clean Water Act. They added this rule change and claimed it would affect no more than 1,300 acres of land within our nation. What this rule actually does is give the EPA management of virtually all the land in the nation. They now consider any amount of water that flows and the land around it a tributary. If your lawn is inundated with heavy rain that runs off your yard, your house and land must now comply with the Clean Water Act. This affects every farm and private property in the nation. You can go to jail and be fined at a rate of $30,000 per day for each violation of the Clean Air Act. We are all in jeopardy and didn’t see it coming.
Finally, the EPA has established a new office within itself. This is the Office of Homeland Security. As investigators start digging into their mess they will claim “national security” and won’t produce any evidence or documentation. It is clearly meant to make these crooks immune to prosecution.
For the love of God and our nation, where is the outrage?
Harry C. Alford is the co-founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®. Website: www.nationalbcc.org Email: halford@nationalbcc.org.
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