Hit a touchy spot didn't it?
What good is any regulation without enforcement?all that burdensome regulation and bloated government safety agency and they couldn't seem to get off their lazy asses to inspect a plant for over 25 years, what good did all that regulation do?
What good is any regulation without enforcement?
Trust me, those responsible at the State
level who we're guilty for not enforcing the law, from the Governor on down, are going to hear about it and those responsible managers at the plant who did not report the quantity of ammonium nitrate as required by CFAT and EPCRA regulation will go to jail.
This will probably be another case, like enforcement of the CAA, where the Federal government has to take over the Texas program due to incompetence or blatant disregard for the law.
What good is any regulation without enforcement?
Trust me, those responsible at the State
level who we're guilty for not enforcing the law, from the Governor on down, are going to hear about it and those responsible managers at the plant who did not report the quantity of ammonium nitrate as required by CFAT and EPCRA regulation will go to jail.
This will probably be another case, like enforcement of the CAA, where the Federal government has to take over the Texas program due to incompetence or blatant disregard for the law.
Despite this criticism, two years later, the governor’s budget reduced funding for the agency by about $295 million, or 34 percent, and was expected to lose 295 full-time employees.
* * *
This would not be the first time that Rick Perry’s cuts have been pointed to as a factor in worsening a disaster. In the drought-blighted summer of 2011, devastating wildfires in Texas ravaged more than 10,000 acres (40 km2) and/or caused significant destruction in residential areas.
The governor’s budget, critics said, had a direct impact on the state’s ability to respond. As Alternet reports:
Texas volunteer fire departments were hosed with a Perry-approved budget that cut state funding from $30 million to $7 million. To make matters worse, most of Texas is protected by volunteer firefighters -- a good 879 volunteer departments cover much of the state of Texas, as compared to the 114 paid departments and 187 departments that are a combination of both.
In 2011, while running for president, Governor Rick Perry boasted about limited the effectiveness of government.
"I promise you one other thing, I'll get up every day to make government as inconsequential in your life as I can make it."
Today perhaps the governor woke up to the reality of what happens when government becomes too inconsequential to oversee the safety of the residents of little towns like West, Texas.
TCEQ is responsible for these inpsections but for TCEQ to have jusrisdiction as a Federally approved State program must have Enivornmental standards at least as stringent as the applicable Federal programs as a minimun acceptable standards. If investigations determine that this is not the case TCEQ can be decertified as a State program in which case the Federal government would maintain jurisdiction.In the case of Texas, it's the TCEQ that is charged with inspecting these sites. However, a certain Governor slashed their budget .That's a lot of blood on Rick's hands.
http://nomadicpolitics.blogspot.com/2013/04/west-texas-explosion-price-of-poor.html
. Can't wait to hear how it goes. I wonder if Rick will be there blaming Obama? Or preaching secession?TCEQ is responsible for these inpsections but for TCEQ to have jusrisdiction as a Federally approved State program must have Enivornmental standards at least as stringent as the applicable Federal programs as a minimun acceptable standards. If investigations determine that this is not the case TCEQ can be decertified as a State program in which case the Federal government would maintain jurisdiction.
I'll be attending TCEQ's annual conference in Austin this week. It will be interesting to find out what their position on this will be. My guess is they won't have a lot to say.
I seriously doubt he's there. TCEQ's annual conference is pretty much an apolitical event.. Can't wait to hear how it goes. I wonder if Rick will be there blaming Obama? Or preaching secession?
Huh. I just read Perry's very upset about that first cartoon.
But wait... I thought the role of business was to make profit, not keep workers safe.![]()
i worked for more than one business that did its best to protect its employees - they discovered that it was more productive to do so and everyone benefited, but then these were in california
Dick Cheney's son in law successfully pushed the oversight of chemical plants from the EPA, to Homeland Security. HS didn't even know the plant existed, let alone that it possessed a lot more than the allowable weight of chemical on site. Why didn't Texas require proper reporting of inventory?all that burdensome regulation and bloated government safety agency and they couldn't seem to get off their lazy asses to inspect a plant for over 25 years, what good did all that regulation do?
It took less than a day for the disastrous bridge collapse in Minneapolis to turn into a political uproar on Capitol Hill.
As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) opened the Thursday session of the Senate, he warned that the bridge disaster was a “wake-up call” regarding infrastructure investment across the country.
Later, Reid and other Democratic leaders went a step further, bashing Republicans for failing to pass a water resources and development act, known as WRDA on Capitol Hill, for seven years, saying that the bill was essential to investing in American infrastructure.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who chairs the appropriations subcommittee that funds transportation programs, slammed President Bush for threatening to veto the transportation bill because it exceeds his initial budget request.
“This is what I worry about every day. The lack of investment in infrastructure is frightening,” Murray said. “This is what [Bush] is threatening to veto -- investment in infrastructure for [roads] we go to work on every day.”
Reid even suggested that Bush has been too distracted by the Iraq war and post-Sept. 11 national security needs to focus on the country’s water, sewer and transportation infrastructure.
“Since 9/11, we have taken our eye off the ball,” Reid said.
At the White House, press secretary Tony Snow acknowledged “there will be lots of 'Who's responsible?' 'Who could have done what?’” in the aftermath of the bridge collapse. But, he said, “the fact is, if anybody has knowledge that something like this can happen, they're going to act on it."
Later, a White House spokesman rebuked Senate Democrats, saying the nation should focus on the victims and the recovery in Minneapolis.
“It’s unfortunate and unconscionable that Democratic leaders in Congress are trying to use this horrific event as an opportunity to launch attacks,” said spokesman Scott Stanzel, pointing out that Bush’s veto threat of the transportation appropriations bill is not related to highway funding. Bush issued the veto warning because of “excessive spending in other areas,” including Amtrak and Housing and Urban Development spending, Stanzel said.
Also on Thursday, Reid used the opportunity to promote a bill he has previously introduced, known as the “American Marshall Plan,” which invests in deteriorating infrastructure across the country.
The bridge collapse may indeed give Democrats a chance to pass the long-stalled water resources development bill, which Senate leaders promised to clear next month. The White House, though, opposes the bill because of its $15 billion cost.
“In terms of infrastructure, where has the Republican Congress been on the WRDA bill for the past seven years?” asked Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.).
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0807/5228.html