|
April 26, 2012
DEBBIE HASTINGS: TXOGA APPLAUDS U.S. SENATOR’S INVESTIGATION INTO EPA ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY
EPA Official’s Pledge to ‘Crucify’ Oil and Gas Companies Reflective of Recent EPA Actions
U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.) is right
to investigate the Environmental Protection Agency’s enforcement
strategy, which one EPA official described as a philosophy to “crucify” oil and
gas companies.
In a Senate floor speech yesterday, Senator Inhofe drew
attention to a video
of Region 6 EPA Administrator (Al) Armendariz saying the EPA’s
“philosophy” is to “crucify” and “make examples” of oil and gas companies, like
the Romans crucified random citizens to ensure obedience from other
townspeople. Even if we disregard Dr. Armendariz’s inflammatory rhetoric,
recent actions by the EPA are alarming and warrant attention.
The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is to
protect human health and the environment. EPA Administrators should bring
balanced, science-based professionalism to the job because EPA actions have a
direct impact not only on the public’s health and the environment but also on
hundreds of thousands of jobs in Texas and beyond.
Nowhere in the EPA’s mission does it call for use of
baseless accusations, scare tactics, and fear mongering to pursue its charge. Sadly,
all three have become commonplace at the EPA.
Full Analysis, Subscribers Only
By Debbie Hastings, Texas Oil & Gas Association
|
Copyright April 26, 2012, Harvey Kronberg, www.texasenergyreport.com, All rights are reserved 