A "Game Changer" For Global Warming

By Hadas deGroot

The Environmental Protection Agency is soon expected to declare global warming pollutants a threat to public health and to hold polluters accountable under the Clean Air Act.

In 2007 the Supreme Court upheld the EPA's authority to determine whether scientific evidence is strong enough to prove that global warming pollution is a threat to public health. The release of the EPA's decision is expected soon though the exact date is unknown.

Environmental experts are certain that the findings will show global warming to be a threat.

"There is no question that the EPA should make a positive endangerment finding," said Dr. Amanda Staudt, Climate Scientist for the National Wildlife Federation. "As far as I'm concerned, the science compels no other outcome."

The implications of such a decision will be significant. "This will be the largest step that the Federal Government will have taken to date," said Joe Mendelson, Global Warming Policy Director for the National Wildlife Federation. Mendelson expects the outcome to be mandatory reductions in US global warming pollution.

"We're anticipating this first action from EPA to be in the realm of motor vehicles," explained David Bookbinder, Chief Climate Counsel for Sierra Club. Federal guidelines for multiple sources of global warming pollutants are expected to follow.

If EPA declares global warming pollution to be in violation of the Clean Air Act, Emily Figdor, Federal Global Warming Program Director for Environment America, said that the next step lies in Congress. "The United States needs an overall plan to create a clean energy economy and that's the role for Congress," Figdor stated.

EPA examines pharmaceuticals in water

Suzanne Rudzinski spoke at a meeting of the Environmental Protection Agency this morning to shed light on the recent findings of pharmaceuticals in drinking water around the United States. She explained that as scientific studies become more powerful, smaller traces of contaminants are found in drinking water. Studies are ongoing, but so far, the news is good. “U.S. water is the safest in the world,” Rudzinski explained; the pharmaceutical traces found do not present health risks.

However, the EPA is taking steps to ensure that pharmaceutical levels in drinking water do not become a problem by strengthening scientific knowledge, improving public understanding, building partnerships for stewardship, and taking regulatory action when appropriate. The message Rudzinski felt was most important for the public is not to use toilets to dispose of old pills, as this is how much of the chemicals get in the water supply.

Export of e-waste could be hazardous

Twenty to 50 million tons of electronic waste (e-waste) are exported worldwide said Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) in a hearing today. Watson said it is possible to export these materials from the United States because this type of waste is exempt from export laws. According to Watson, "e-waste" pollutes water, air, and soil. She calls this development a "cyber-age nightmare."


E-Waste is harmful because it contains dangerous toxins like lead and mercury, said Rep. Eni Faleomavaega (D-A.S.). It can be harmful for the United States as well because products we import "exposed to dangerous levels of toxins," Faleomavaega continued. He said we have made developing countries a "dumping ground" for our "e-waste."

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the Environment Protection Agency's enforcement in this area is not sufficient. Even though there were regulations for the export of cathode-ray tubes, a particularly hazardous type of e-waste, the GAO found that companies are easily circumventing these rules. John Stephenson, director of natural resources and environment issues at the GAO, said that the countries most affected by e-waste are Hong Kong, Vietnam, India, Singapore, and Pakistan. He called the exporting of e-waste a "public health issue."