big brother knows best
from Grist:
House Republicans are pushing legislation that would keep states from
setting standards for pesticides and health-threatening industrial
chemicals that are more stringent than federal regulations. If passed,
the bill could nullify a California ban on brominated fire retardants,
for example, and restrictions in San Francisco that limit certain
chemicals in baby products. The bill would also require the U.S. EPA to
use a cost-benefit standard when determining whether to ban certain
toxics, and would impose no timetable for regulation, potentially
delaying phaseouts of dangerous chemicals while the agency studies
whether regulations are too hard on industry. The legislation was OK'd
by one House committee this week, but would still need approval from
another before moving to the House floor, and the Senate has yet to
take it up at all. The bill is opposed by 12 state attorneys general,
the American Nurses Association, and more than 60 environmental and
public-health groups.
source:
San Francisco Chronicle
