John Kerry’s campaign is turning to Bush’s environmental record today, highlighting one of the administration’s biggest domestic policy failures. It’s fortuitous timing; not only is Earth Day in two days, but the man who has been responsible for enforcing the Clean Air Act is condemning Bush with unusually pointed language.
As Kevin Drum noted, Dateline NBC has the scoop on Bruce Buckheit, the former director of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Enforcement Division, who is speaking out for the first time.
If you’re going to make a stand by walking away from your job, it should be over something pretty important. How about the air we breathe? A new government report found that the air in 31 states, affecting nearly 160 million people, fails to meet new federal health standards for smog. Part of the reason is pollution coming from big coal-burning power plants. For decades, the Clean Air Act helped improve air quality, a man named Bruce Buckheit helped enforce it. But now, this former top government official has given up his job, frustrated because he says the country is taking a giant step backwards — and that you and your children may soon see the difference in the air you breathe.
Buckheit resigned in disgust, but it appears he’d rather still be on the job. His frustration with the administration, however, was too much to bear.
[I]n December, he made a difficult decision to retire from the EPA.
Buckheit said, “If we were still enforcing the Clean Air Act the way it should be enforced I would still be there.”
In the course of Buckheit’s interview with Stone Philips, the former EPA official effectively argues that the Bush administration is standing in the way of cleaner air so Bush’s corporate allies can make more money.
Phillips: “What’s the biggest enforcement challenge right now when it comes to air pollution?”
Buckheit: “The Bush Administration. An opportunity to reduce pollution just as we saw in Tampa is being foregone.”
Phillips: “Are you saying this administration just doesn’t care about air pollution?”
Buckheit: “Yes. I’m saying this administration has decided to put the economic interests of the coal fired power plants ahead of the public interests in reducing air pollution.”
Phillips: “That’s a pretty serious allegation.”
Buckheit: “Well, I was the head of the air enforcement division up until a couple weeks ago and I watched it happen.”