Meza writes: "One of the new White House appointees to a critical environmental panel once said that the air these days is just too clean to promote good health."
Like Robert Phalen, many are expected to argue for less regulation, an agenda that is backed by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. (photo: Science Focus)
Incoming EPA Advisor Says US Air Is Too Clean
04 November 17
ne of the new White House appointees to a critical environmental panel once said that the air these days is just too clean to promote good health.
Robert Phalen, an air pollution researcher at the Irvine campus of the University of California, said in 2012 that children need to breathe irritants so that their bodies learn how to ward them off.
�Modern air,� he told the American Association for the Advancement of Science, �is a little too clean for optimum health.�
Phalen is one of 17 new appointees to the Environmental Protection Agency's Scientific Advisory Board, which helps develop environmental policy. Other nominees include scientists from the oil industry, a chemical industry trade association, and various universities and consulting groups.
Like Phalen, many are expected to argue for less regulation, an agenda that is backed by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.
But Phalen's earlier comments drew renewed interest in his career as a researcher and an opponent of air pollution-related regulations. Much like President Donald Trump, Phalen prides himself on holding unpopular opinions, like his 2004 study that air pollution is not such a big deal.
�The relative risks associated with modern [particulate matter] are very small and confounded by many factors,� Phalen wrote. �Neither toxicology studies nor human clinical investigations have identified the components and/or characteristics of [particulate matter] that might be causing the health-effect associations.�
Phalen also received heat after he defended his use of dogs to test the effects of air pollution on lung health on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in the 1980s�a controversial stance he maintained in several radio and television interviews.
"My most important role in science is causing trouble and controversy," he said in the 2012 interview.
The Trump Administration has moved quickly to assert its control over the EPA's science team. Several members of the advisory panel were dismissed in May, part of the EPA's anti-regulatory agenda and shift to hearing more voices from business and industry, said some departed members of the panel. President Trump directed Pruitt to cut the EPA budget by 40 percent, and to roll back regulations on clean water protection and climate change prevention. The official EPA website also deleted pages that included climate change research.
More recently, Pruitt announced that no scientist who received funding from the agency would be eligible to serve on the advisory board, a move that blocks hundreds of credible scientists from the panel. Pruitt said the move would prevent conflicts of interest, but critics say it's a false issue.
�They pretend that the industry people who are being offered up positions on the panel are somehow unbiased because they�re not getting money from EPA,� Donna Kenski of the Lake Michigan Air Directors Consortium in Illinois told the New York Times. Kenski was dismissed from a clean air advisory board earlier in the week, the Times reported.
THE NEW STREAMLINED RSN LOGIN PROCESS: Register once, then login and you are ready to comment. All you need is a Username and a Password of your choosing and you are free to comment whenever you like! Welcome to the Reader Supported News community. |
Comments
We are concerned about a recent drift towards vitriol in the RSN Reader comments section. There is a fine line between moderation and censorship. No one likes a harsh or confrontational forum atmosphere. At the same time everyone wants to be able to express themselves freely. We'll start by encouraging good judgment. If that doesn't work we'll have to ramp up the moderation.
General guidelines: Avoid personal attacks on other forum members; Avoid remarks that are ethnically derogatory; Do not advocate violence, or any illegal activity.
Remember that making the world better begins with responsible action.
- The RSN Team
He should be reminded of this fact that he demonstrates that he has forgotten, through his ignoring the police state tactics going on during HIS watch.
SHAME on you Mr. President.
Signed,
One of your most ardent supporters since day one.
I, too, encourage you to pick up your phones and call immediately to ask Mr. Obama to do the right thing, to ask him to speak out in favor of peaceful protests and against police brutality that has NO place in a democratic America.
The World is watching, and "WE cannot wait" for him to do the right thing. It must be now.
To President Obama, I beg you to do what you promised: be WITH the people, FOR the people, and be fearless about using your executive power to stop the madness NOW.
Sincerely,
Another of your most ardent supporters since day one.
N.
In this article, this is exactly what I am addressing.
Thank you for your support.
N.
The "cheating" by planting evidence and using infiltrators/ag ent provocateurs is SOP for U.S. government agencies.
Ask Native Americans.
Ask Iraqis.
Ask Afghans.
Do you actually think all IEDs are planted by Al Qaeda and Islamic extremists?
Realize we are confronting a collection of amoral sociopaths who will do anything to beat back genuine democracy.
Never forget the Kent State murders on 4 May 1970.
And the legal basis for this was the Patriot Act, which, you might recall, was brought to us George and Dick.
And? Your are saying that he had to keep it?
NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN
It's all of them, Barbara.
( is that feeling enough? ) I can go on. I've been watching for a long time.
As for congress, take a look back to the George W. administration. Review just how much the democrats handed to them. Most of what you see is entertainment, regardless. The show is directed by that 1% we're all protesting.
What you see is not necessarily the reality.
We can only hope that this will be the case, as no amount of "shame on you" seems to be doing the job.
N.
Everyone knows there were slave in North than as the land expanded, slaves went with..south, NorthWest and Southwest.
And many were treated well, many were treated horrendously.
Thomas Jefferson and our Forefathers never said they had no Slaves or House Persons. It is in their memoirs. Many were trusted friends. It was with the growth did Power come and the Slaves treated poorly even killed.
Police didnot cause Slavery Merchants did. Bounty hunters were hired, local thugs to go bring back runaways. I do not remember North being quite so adamant as the South, or as cruel. But Slavery was wrong, and we can thank those Christians who believed those that were not of our color were Heathens and therefore, should be treated as such. Again not a Police Agenda. Police role had already started in Europe, most were to quell uprisings but upsurps, protect the well to do/Political some branched into security, money protection etc. We had the jolly constables most were Volunteer or Appointed in Colonies with Volunteers who later started Fire Brigades, Citizen Brigades etc. Crime was not so large, everyone knew each other. those who did something wrong was treated more with Puritan Cruelty and Mockery than enforcement as we know it.
If they are part of the 1% they don't need any money.
Eventually they will resort to hurting one of their own, in order to change the game. Don't let this happen without photo or video evidence. Be quick to protect the evidence, and be ready to offer copies to the media, the courts, and to lawyers for the defense of those of us who will be arrested.
Even Oakland I get different stories from my friends. supposedly Peaceful than a gorup start shoving the cops, that is not Peaceful.
I think reviews of all Brutality must be looked into, and then start seeing if the same faces in Oakland than went to Denver up to NY because they will, they are on someone's dime setting up to instigate and get publicity.
Take them out...put them in public shackles for what they are. But stay Peaceful, stay warm
NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN !!
Nations we are no better than you, we are being watched daily, listened to, our accounts, lives are all being accounted for by Big Brother. We have Dictators in charge here and they want your Country, your riches, your Land....Do not believe OBama and the USA. We are not to be trusted. Nazis are alive and well here.
YOu see us destroying our water, our air, land. You see us killing our Animals. You see us poisoning towns. You see us selling our jobs overseas. We are Prisoners just like you. Democracy is a Dream. Nazis, Fascists are the Voice in our System not Democratic Ideals. We Kill anything, anyone for whatever reason the Man Tells us to. You are next, first your Leaders than You
But remember: We the People voted in all these cretinous, traitorous politicians, including feckless Obama, who is a slave working for Wall St.
Most important, Scott Olsen is a man of courage and remarkable character. He and the other true OWS patriots remind us that such qualities still exist among us.
Second, yes, each OWS group will be infiltrated by "plants"--under cover cops, people trying to distort the message, and saboteurs. Stay true, know your colleagues, and identify the others.
Third, rubber bullets, tear gas, and batons are NOT "NON-LETHAL" as reported. All have been and can be lethal. In fact, many police and military are taught lethal applications. Believe me, if you teach safeguards to prevent death, many see this as direct lethal instruction.
Stay safe. Stay true. And begin framing your message.
They pretend to help you but they are giving you poisoned candy. Stop taking anything from American Business and their Partners. Your Land is goin to be their Land....
They kill you and your children, they kill us and our children with no food, no clean water, no housing, no jobs, no health care. They Poison our air, Our Water, Our Food, Our Bodies with disease.
they take our homes, our land, our rights.
They go in pretending to protect you, to help you, they pretend to give you money for rebuilding but they are buying you out.
One Day you will no longer be Iraq, Iran, Libya ... you will Be MonsantoLand, KochLand, GELand. Beware the Powers of the USA are playing with their Puppet Politicians to wipe you out just like your leaders. You will either work for them or die of some new disease, or dumping their chemicals, bad food seeds. Welcome to Democracy the New Wave