Russ Feingold: “while I do not make it a practice to comment on every bill that has been introduced, I am moved to remark on what I…”

“while I do not make it a practice to comment on every bill that has been introduced, I am moved to remark on what I consider to be a particularly misguided recent legislative initiative--a bill allowing the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, the very agency charged with protecting the public's health, to waive all laws under its jurisdiction--public health and environmental laws-- during the cleanup of hurricane Katrina. The bill, S. 1711, would even allow these waivers over local and State opposition. People returning to areas devastated by the hurricane deserve to know, among other things, that their water is safe to drink and that new construction won't put them or their families in harm's way by polluting their air or by destroying wetlands that can provide valuable ecological services. Although the legislation calls for up to 18 months of waivers, given the long-term nature of the types of activities involved, the effects of these waivers could be long lasting. The broad approach being pushed is completely unnecessary and puts people and the environmental resources they depend upon at risk. While all of us want to help those affected by hurricane Katrina, there is simply no valid reason to think that we need to erode established environmental and public health protections in order to do so.…”