On May 12, 2009 President Obama issued Executive Order 13508 on Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration. One year later to the day the EPA unveiled their broad and incoherent plan in a press release that was sent out using state of the art technology. Earlier that same day the press release and full plan was wrapped up at Kingman Island. In attendance were Lisa Jackson (EPA Administrator), Tom Vilsack (USDA), Ray Mabus (Dept of Navy), Anne Castle (Dept of Interior), Monica Medina (Dept of Commerce)
In the EPA’s press release it states that:
“USDA will also lead a federal initiative to develop a watershed-wide environmental services market that would allow producers to generate tradable water quality credits in return for installing effective conservation practices.”
The Secretary of the USDA, Tom Vilsack said in that same statement “We will help the bay watershed’s farmers and forest owners put new conservation practices on 4 million acres of agricultural lands”
This is Tom Vilsack, seriously. What could go wrong with this guy overseeing cap and trade with the Bay’s water?
Tom Vilsack-Secretary of the USDA
Economic Irony
Under the “Benefiting economies and jobs section” of the EPA’s press release the agency claims:
Many actions will provide economic benefits, including conservation of working farms, expanded oyster aquaculture, support for conservation corps programs and green jobs, and development of an environmental marketplace for selling, buying and trading credits for pollution reductions.
However, just a few days later (March 24, 2010) the EPA’s outline of this plan was peer reviewed by the Science and Technology Advisory Board (aka adult World of Warcraft players) and the EPA responded to their comments and concerns.
In Chapter 2, “Agriculture” (pg 2), one of the comments from the Board states “EPA has not conducted an analysis of the economic impacts the guidance document will have on either categories of agricultural production or the profitability of individual farms”
The EPA’s response?
“The E.O. (Executive Order) does not require EPA to conduct an economic impact analysis for this guidance, and the EPA has not done so.”
Got it? The EPA claims in the first press release that trading pollution/clean water credits, and implying all other conservation strategies, will help create jobs and strengthen the local economy. Then tells the Chesapeake Bay Board that they are not required to prove that claim.
Welcome to the Left. Their promises and claims do not require proof. They will manifest through contradicting rhetoric and sheer will
Ameristroika 