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Bipartisan Progress Balks On Chemical Security
In October, the House failed to improve safety protections at chemical facilities. The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006 (HR 5695) would have required the most dangerous chemical and manufacturing plants to look for safer ways of doing business, such as using safer alternatives of toxic chemicals whenever those alternatives exist.
Instead, the chemical industry reached a closed-door deal to displace permanent and comprehensive chemical security provisions with weaker, temporary provisions. The House approved the weaker bill in October.
Across the United States, thousands of industrial facilities use and store hazardous chemicals in quantities that put large numbers of Americans at risk of serious injury or death.
The risk is widespread—according to EPA, over 100 facilities each put more than a million people at risk of injury or death in the event of an accident or terrorist attack.
“The industry deal will take real chemical security solutions off the table and replace them with an inadequate temporary program,” said Staff Attorney Alex Fidis.
Despite industry claims of boosted protections, federal studies confirm that security at most chemical facilities ranges from poor to non-existent.
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Clean Cars Program For Arizona Moves Ahead
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CLEAN CARS FOR ARIZONA —Cleaner cars will save consumers money at the pump and protect public health by decreasing pollution. The Arizona PIRG Education Fund will work with the governor’s office to bring this program to Arizona. |
Following a unanimous recommendation from her Climate Change Advisory Group to bring cleaner cars to Arizona, Gov. Napolitano issued an Executive Order for Arizona to adopt and implement the Clean Cars Program.
According to research reports issued by the Arizona PIRG Education Fund, the Clean Cars Program paves the way for the widespread introduction of technologies like hybrid-electric and fuel-cell vehicles, direct-injection engines, advanced transmissions, improved air conditioning systems, and other technologies with the potential to reduce pollution.
By implementing the program to take effect in model year 2011 (calendar year 2010), once the program is fully implemented in 2016, consumers are projected to save at least $3 to $7 every month as a result of the standards—and more if gasoline prices are high. The Arizona PIRG Education Fund will work with the governor’s office and others to bring clean cars to Arizona.
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Advocates Stand Up To Assault On Food Safety
Last year, food-borne E. Coli outbreaks caused by contaminated spinach heightened the country’s awareness of food safety laws.
Incredibly, Congress was at that time considering legislation that would roll back food safety protections at the behest of the food manufacturers lobby.
The act would eliminate proven food safety and labeling standards that are more protective than federal standards, even when the federal government has no regulation on the books.
As this newsletter goes to print, our coalition is working in the U.S. Senate to stop the attacks on our food safety protections, and calling on senators to oppose the so-called National Uniformity for Food Act, and any bill that would take away the rights of states to protect people from chemicals in food.
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Canadian Rx Drug Importing Allowed
A new law, which was signed by President Bush in October, allows Americans to buy a 90-day supply of prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies. The victory is a small step, however, toward reining in the high price of prescription drugs.
Advocates were not able to overcome industry opposition to Internet and mail order sales of Canadian drugs, which would help the majority of Americans who cannot make the trip to Canada for prescription drugs. These sales are still prohibited.
The Department of Homeland Security had come under some fire for confiscating critical medications from seniors who, faced with choosing between needed medications and other essential purchases, opted to import their prescription drugs from Canada.
Customs agents seized and destroyed at least 40,000 prescription drug packages at the border before backing down and stopping the seizures in September.
Advocates will build on momentum from these victories to get Congress to leverage better prices from the powerful pharmaceutical industry, including the Arizona PIRG-backed Medicare Prescription Drugs Saving and Choice Act (HR 752), which would allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices with manufacturers.
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