dsnodgrass

This one is at least 31 flavors of slimy. The Environmental Protection Agency actually thinks that it may be a good idea to stop regulating the amount of lead that can be released into the air. Apparently lobbyists representing battery makers, lead smelters and refiners found the restrictions to be…well…too restrictive.?

Part of the EPA’s rationale, according to their preliminary staff review is that such safeguards may no longer be necessary “given the significantly changed circumstances since lead was listed in 1976″, pointing to the fact that there has been a massive reduction in the air’s lead concentration during this time.?

In other words, the regulations have worked too well. Perhaps they should be categorized as “quaint”, the same label that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales attached to the Geneva Convention in his tender and heartfelt ode to torture.?

What are some of the effects of lead exposure? Look no further than the EPA’s own website.?

Lead is a very toxic element, causing a variety of effects at low dose levels. Brain damage, kidney damage, and gastrointestinal distress are seen from acute (short-term) exposure to high levels of lead in humans. Chronic (long-term) exposure to lead in humans results in effects on the blood, central nervous system (CNS), blood pressure, kidneys, and Vitamin D metabolism. Children are particularly sensitive to the chronic effects of lead, with slowed cognitive development, reduced growth and other effects reported. Reproductive effects, such as decreased sperm count in men and spontaneous abortions in women, have been associated with high lead exposure. The developing fetus is at particular risk from maternal lead exposure, with low birth weight and slowed postnatal neurobehavioral development noted.?

So the Bush Administration^? may be presented with the choice of acting in the best interest of its citizens, or helping out corporate profiteers. Whew, I feel better now.?

Doug Snodgrass?

dsnodgrass@ecotality.com

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