A buffet of environmental messages for Congress

Congress is back in session this week. Today, I sent a batch of messages, with scripts arranged by the Environmental Defense Fund, to members of Congress in support of five efforts:

• Protect the EPA’s budget: The proposed budget slashes the EPA by nearly a third, cutting funding for everything from cleaning up toxic waste sites to the enforcement office that ensures polluters who break the law are held accountable. It puts us all at risk and raises serious questions about EPA’s ability to respond to future hurricanes and floods.

• Safeguard the air we breathe: Nearly 4 out of 10 Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of smog pollution, where it is literally dangerous to breathe. Yet the House has already passed a bill that would delay the implementation of crucial smog standards for nearly a decade. Don’t let the Senate follow suit.

• Keep important safety measures from being bogged down with red tape: The scariest bill you’ve never heard of—the “Regulatory Accountability Act”—handcuffs the government with red tape, preventing agencies from enforcing the laws that keep toxic chemicals out of our homes, our cars safe, and even prevent the intentional contamination of our food supply.

• Don’t let a chemical industry hired gun run the EPA’s toxics office: The integrity of the EPA toxics office is in jeopardy with the nomination of Michael Dourson—a man who has long been industry’s go-to man to downplay health concerns—to take its helm. Make sure the Senate doesn’t confirm this dangerous nominee.

• And ensure the Endangered Species Act remains intact: In spite of the fact that 9 out of 10 Americans support the Endangered Species Act, several Republicans in Congress have made efforts to chip away at the law, proposing to undermine the ESA and replace science with politics.