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Four Decades
Where Do They Stand?
the 112th congress and the environment:
the votes and what they mean
2011 was a long year for the environment in the Congress. From the amendments and riders attached to H.R. 1, "Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act 2011" to the H.R. 2018, the "Dirty Water Bill", the 112th Congress has gone out of its way to attempt to reduce protections, rollback existing law, and ensure make it easier for polluters to pollute. The amount of proposed amendments and bills is staggering. To understand the scope of the proposals and what they mean for our environment and our health, Clean Water Action has analyzed twelve key votes from the House of Representatives plus two votes in the US Senate.
Click here for House votes
Click here for Senate votes
the House of Representatives:
1. H.R. 2681 - Cement Kiln Bill
The House passed this bill which will prevent EPA from completing the rule to reduce harmful emissions from cement kilns. Cement kilns are the third largest source of Merucry Pollution in the nation.
This bill will block implementation of EPA rules to reduce mercury and other toxic emissions and smog causing pollutants from power plants. It would also require more studies before regulations could be proposed.
3. H.R. 2018 -the "Dirty Water" Bill
On July 13, the U.S. House passed the Clean Water Cooperative
Federalism Act by a vote of 239-184. This bill would essentially
overturn the Clean Water Act by undermining the federal protections that
have led to dramatic improvement in water quality for nearly forty
years.
4. H.R. 910 – Global Warming Pollution Protection
On April 6, 2011, the U.S. House passed Rep. Fred Upton’s (R-MI) “Dirty
Air Act,” (H.R. 910) by a vote of 255-172. The bill guts the Clean Air
Act by preventing EPA from instituting programs to reduce global warming
pollution.
Ten key votes from H.R. 1, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011:
5. H.R. 1 "Continuing Resolution" Final Passage
The House passed H.R. 1 as originally introduced plus amendments by a
vote of 235-189. As described above, the original bill alone included
enormous cuts to programs of all kinds including many that focus on
clean water and clean air. The final version also included all of the
amendments listed below.
6. McKinley (R-WV) Amendment Revoking a Section of the Clean Water Act
This amendment forbids EPA from invoking Section 404 (c) of the Clean
Water Act. This provision is reserved for the worst activities that
would have an "unacceptable adverse effect" of water, fish and wildlife.
It has only been used 13 times since passage of the Clean Water Act 40
years ago, and was recently invoked to challenge the permit of one of
the nation’s largest mountaintop removal coal mining projects. The
amendment passed by a vote of 240-182.
7. McKinley (R-WV) Amendment Blocking Protection from Coal Ash Waste
This amendment blocks finalization of rules around disposal of coal ash
from coal plants. This waste contains metals like arsenic and lead as
well as chemicals like the notorious hexavalent chromium. It poses
immediate threats to public health and drinking water sources and there
are no federal regulations for its disposal. The amendment passed by a
vote of 239-183.
8. Griffith (R-VA) Amendment Blocking Permit Review and Use of Science
EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers are reviewing new mountaintop
removal coal mining projects. This amendment not only halts that review,
but forbids EPA, the Army Corps of Engineers and states from using EPA
peer-reviewed scientific analysis for any permitting process related to
this destructive practice. EPA’s own data shows that mountaintop removal
mining has already destroyed 2000 stream miles in Appalachia. This
threatens drinking water sources, contributes to flooding and has
enormous negative impact on public health and economic development in
impacted communities. The amendment passed by a vote of 235-185.
9. Johnson (R-OH) Amendment Blocking Stream Protection Rules
During the Bush Administration, rules that protected streams from
contamination and destruction by surface coal mining activities were
eliminated. This amendment blocks the Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement from developing new rules for stream
protection. The amendment passed by a vote of 239-186.
10. Goodlatte (R-VA) Amendment Blocking Chesapeake Bay Protections
This broad-reaching amendment blocks EPA from spending any resources on
developing and implementing long overdue programs to protect the
Chesapeake Bay watershed. This would threaten the progress made to date
in cleaning up the Bay and place the burden for reaching agreed-upon
goals on states and communities. The amendment passed by a vote of
230-195.
11. Rooney (R-FL) Amendment Blocking Protection of Florida’s Waterbodies from Nutrient Pollution
Due to long-standing concern about pollution from fertilizer run-off,
manure and other sources, EPA is setting limits on this pollution in
Florida’s sensitive water bodies. This nitrogen and phosphorous
pollution is responsible for toxic algal blooms that contribute to dead
zones, an increasing public health concern due to contamination of
drinking water sources. This amendment blocks all EPA activity on these
common-sense limits. The amendment passed by a vote of 237-189.
12. Noem (R-SD) Amendment to Block Air Pollution Rules
This amendment prevents EPA from updating important health standards
for particulate matter. Particulate matter includes smoke, soot and
metals and is known to aggravate illnesses like asthma and bronchitis
and to contribute to premature death in people with hear or lung
disease. The amendment passed by a vote of 265-168.
the Senate:
1. H.R. 1 "Continuing
Resolution" Final Passage
On March 9, 2011, the Senate failed to pass the House version of the 2011
"Continuing Resolution" to fund the federal government by a vote of
56-44. As described in the House section, the bill included funding cuts to
critical programs and riders restricting EPA authority in many key areas that
focus on clean water and clean air.
2. McConnell Amendment to S493 to Revoke EPA Authority to Regulate Greenhouse Gases
On April 6, 2011, the Senate failed to pass an amendment offered by Senator
Mitch McConnell (R-KY) that would have prohibited EPA from taking action to
limit global warming pollution under the Clean Air Act. The amendment needed
2/3 of the Senate to pass and was defeated by a vote of 50-50.