Will Greenies Stop The Pumping?

They're sitting back there like a storm off the coast, poised to strike when they sense the wind is blowing the right way. Today they sent up a trial balloon to test those winds.

For over a week, as toxic scuzz is being pumped into Lake Ponchartrain, a violation of virtually every clause, comma and codacil in the Clean Water Act (were it not for emergency provisions). The environmentalists have been quiet, knowing the timing is all wrong for going to court to stop the clean-up ... but they're losing their self control. We should see the environmenalists storming the courthouses soon, asking for a Temporary Restraining Order to stop all pumping as a way for them to get a big settlement out of the oil and gas industries.

This morning's trial balloon occurred on Air America's Marc and Mark show. Their guest was EPA Sr. Policy Analyst Hugh Kauffman, and here's what he said:

MARC: Is the government being honest with the people about the safety of the air and water in New Orleans right now?

HUGH: No, they’re not. All of the oil and chemical companies that own storage tanks, facilities in that area that were flooded or impacted are required to publish with our regional office in Dallas instantly—whenever there’s a release; whenever there’s a breakage from pipelines, from storage tanks, refineries. The regional office, under orders, is not releasing that information to the public, and the Society of Environmental Journalists has sued EPA and the Federal Government to try and get that information released, so the public will see the full magnitude of how much toxic material they are being exposed to in that region of the country.

MARC: So, Hugh Kauffman, Senior Policy Analyst from the EPA, you’re telling me they have that information. The EPA office in Louisiana has that information, and you are absolutely sure that that information is horrendous, but they are keeping it under lock and key, because they don’t want the people to know the truth of what’s really going on down there on a toxic level?

HUGH: That’s correct. And that’s why the Society of Environmental Journalists are suing under the Freedom of Information act to try and get that information.

MARC: So the government is actively lying to the people about what’s going on there, and that is their policy now.

HUGH: That’s the policy as of last night at eleven o’clock when I went to sleep.

MARC: And that is the policy that happened in Nine Eleven as well, isn’t it, Hugh Kauffman?

HUGH: Same policy in Nine Eleven. That’s correct. The heroes went in to try to help—were working for months in there—no respirators, no protective clothing, and now, four years later, over 75 % of those responding heroes are sick as dogs and they’re starting to die off, and I’m worried that that’s going to happen down the line down there. That’s why there are billions of dollars of [lawsuits] as a result of Nine Eleven, because of the government cover-up. (source)

There it is. The set up: Violations of the law because nasty oil and chemical companies didn't somehow send smoke signals to Houston to report damage immediately after the storm, even as they were searching desperately to see who was alive and dead among their employees.

The unsubsantiated reference to historic events: Kaufman's overstating the 9/11 cases, the symptoms,and even the stated value of the lawsuit, as a billion dollars grows to "billions of dollars." I have no doubt, though, that a number of responding heroes are sick or dying off. In any population of that size and age, people would be sick or dying.

The allegation of deliberate cover-up: The feds don't want people to know what's in the soup. Do you know anyone who isn't aware of the toxicity of the water? How often have we heard about sewage, oil, chemicals, even decomposing bodies in the water? Shoot, that's why they're forcing people to leave.

And finally, the enviros' troopers, the enviromental journalists, charge out of their trenches to get their hands on the goods the lawyers need.

All the pieces are in place. Expect a lawsuit soon, naming the chemical and oil companies as well as EPA (deep pockets are mandatory before the greenies will sue), and demanding that all pumping stop until tests can be completed to show us what we already know -- that the water doesn't meet the nation's pristine water quality standards.

And when that's proved, what's next? Will a judge actually issue a TRO to stop the pumping? Possibly. And that would let the toxins settle in, when it's obvious the best place to put them is Lake Ponchartrain, where it will evaporate, settle, and cleanse itself over time -- and in much less time than the enviros think.

We have met the enemy, and they're green.

One little problem in all this. Here's the top story on the EPA Web site:

Flood-Water Sampling Chemical Data Available -- Sep 11 - The Environmental Protection Agency in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality today posted data from New Orleans flood water chemical samples collected from 6 locations on September 3. The data have been reviewed and validated through a quality assurance process to ensure scientific accuracy. Chemical results indicate that the concentration of lead exceeded EPA drinking water action levels. These levels are of a concern if a child ingests large amounts of the flood water. Based on the chemical analyses and the presence of high levels of E. coli, EPA and CDC provided health guidance on September 7 to avoid human contact with the flood water when possible. EPA in coordination with federal, state and local agencies will continue to release data as it becomes available. Test Results

Note the date: Sept. 12. Kaufman went on the air Sept. 13 and lied. Air American aired the lie. And the lawsuits will ignore the lie.