Pentagon chiefs told to prepare national security exemptions to environmental laws

[Guest guest]

The Environment is so ROYALLY SCREWED ... read this, ... Bush can and will

put anything under " national security " to flout the laws and make money at

our expense ...

 

: Pentagon chiefs told to prepare national security exemptions to

environmental laws

 

 

> ENN News Story

> Friday, March 21, 2003

> By John Heilprin, Associated Press

>

> http://www.enn.com/news/2003-03-21/s_3483.asp

>

> WASHINGTON - The Pentagon's No. 2 official has ordered military service

> chiefs to provide examples in which President Bush could cite national

> security and exempt defense facilities from certain environmental laws.

>

> The move follows the Bush administration's requests, made in the name of

> military training, that Congress ease laws governing endangered species,

> marine mammals, and air and water quality at defense facilities.

>

> Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz suggested that the Pentagon should

> consider reversing its " past restraint " against having the president

invoke

> national security exemption provisions available in some environmental

laws.

> He said those exemptions have never been used. In a March 7 memo to the

> chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, Wolfowitz said, " It is time for

us

> to give greater consideration to requesting such exemptions " in cases

where

> the laws threaten military training and readiness.

>

> Jeff Ruch, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental

> Responsibility, an advocacy group that made the memo available to

reporters,

> said pushing for the exemptions would lessen public scrutiny. " If the

> president invokes it, there's no way to challenge it or subject it to a

> review, " Ruch said.

>

> Pentagon spokesman Glenn Flood said the memo is authentic but noted that

for

> the department " to use those exemptions, it's got to be a dire, critical

> situation. "

>

> Congress rejected most of the military's requests for changes in

> environmental laws last year.

>

> Legislators approved a temporary waiver in a law protecting migratory

birds

> and eased requirements for land conservation and transfer of surplus

> property.

>

> Pentagon officials still want Congress to grant a three-year grace period

> from air pollution laws affecting new weaponry and less restrictive

> requirements for protecting endangered species and for preventing

> " harassment " of marine mammals.

>

>