Clearing the Air - Dateline interview to read as Bush Earthday PR flows

Speaking on this eve before Earth Day, a coalition of enviro groups that includes the League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club is getting together to blast the "Bush administration's continuing assault on virtually every safeguard that protects America's air, water, public health, wildlife, forests, and public land." The coalition plans to go up with an ad targeting the White House's environmental record. http://saveourenvironment.org/action/document.asp?id=204

http://www.lcv.org/fedfocus/fedfocusList.cfm?c=5&UID=1016930BDB1FAA8238&MX=249&H=1 With energy policy influenced by undisclosed executives, air pollution regulations that protect industry's bottom line rather than citizens' health, and a Clean Water Act proposal that eliminates 60% of protected waters and opens the surrounding land to developers, the Bush Administration has lived up to their Big Business pasts. All while claiming to be pro-environment to the American public.

http://www.lcv.org/News/News.cfm?ID=2599&c=27&UID=1016930BDB1FAA8238&MX=249&H=1

Clearing the Air
Stone Philips, Dateline NBC
April 18, 2004



For decades, the Clean Air Act helped improve air quality, a man named Bruce Buckheit helped enforce it. But now, this former top government official has given up his job, frustrated because he says the country is taking a giant step backwards -- and that you and your children may soon see the difference in the air you breathe.

There are few things on earth that Bruce Buckheit feels more passionate about than the air, whether he's catching it in his sails or cleaning it up at old coal burning power plants.

Stone Phillips: "Among the major sources of air pollution in this country where do coal fired power plants rank?"

Bruce Buckheit: "They're number one. By an order of magnitude. There is no one that comes close."

Phillips: "What's the biggest enforcement challenge right now when it comes to air pollution?"

Buckheit: "The Bush Administration. An opportunity to reduce pollution just as we saw in Tampa is being foregone."

Phillips: "Are you saying this administration just doesn't care about air pollution?"

Buckheit: "Yes. I'm saying this administration has decided to put the economic interests of the coal fired power plants ahead of the public interests in reducing air pollution."

Phillips: "That's a pretty serious allegation."

eradicating all atmospheric oxygen for once and for all!