Regional Haze - purely aesthetic visibility program

[emptystep]

Arguing that a program's funding is misplaced is one thing but to completely misrepresent basic facts is a failure of the committee chair.

Committee On Oversight & Government Reform
Chairman: Rep. Darrell E. Issa

Chairman's Preview Statement
In the case of Regional Haze – Congress was crystal clear that this purely aesthetic visibility program is to be administered by the states and not by EPA. Through Sue and Settle, EPA is attempting to federalize the program; and imposing costs well beyond what the state had determined was necessary or justified. Ultimately, EPA’s proposal will costs billions of dollars for visibility improvements that are undetectable to the human eye.

From: Regional Haze & Visibility | MassDEP
That this is a purely aesthetic visibility program:

Most of the pollution that causes regional haze is not emitted directly into the air, but forms after gases emitted from pollution sources are transformed in the atmosphere into fine particles that can be transported great distances by the wind. Some of the pollutants that lead to regional haze also have been linked to serious health problems:

Fine particles can be deposited deep into the lungs, where they can accumulate on the surface or be absorbed by underlying tissue and enter the bloodstream.

People with heart or lung diseases and respiratory conditions such as coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are at increased risk of serious effects because particles can aggravate these diseases.

Even healthy people may experience temporary symptoms from exposure to elevated levels of particles. Symptoms may include: eye, nose and throat irritation; coughing; phlegm; chest tightness; and shortness of breath.

Children are likely to be at risk from particles for a number of reasons: their lungs are still developing; they are more physically active than many adults; and they are more likely to have asthma or acute respiratory diseases that can be aggravated by particles.​

That it is undetectable to the human eye:

Every year, more than 280 million visitors travel through 156 national park and wilderness areas. Unfortunately, many of these people are unable to enjoy the spectacular vistas they come to see. In many eastern parks, visibility has been reduced from 90 miles to between 15 and 25 miles because of regional haze from man-made air pollution.

Regional haze occurs when fine particles scatter in the atmosphere and absorb light, limiting the distance that people can see, and obscuring the color and clarity of their view. Unlike ground-level ozone (smog), which is primarily a summertime problem, regional haze can occur during all four seasons. It can persist over wide geographic areas and can greatly reduce visibility many times during the year.

 

[Old Rocks]

Very much a typical Republican. The rich man's dollar is far more important than the health of the citizens of this nation.

 

[Mad Scientist]

Very much a typical Republican. The rich man's dollar is far more important than the health of the citizens of this nation.

Obama would have helped move America towards the goal of Clean Air had he signed the DOHA Agreement, but he didn't.

Very much typical Democrat. The rich man's dollar is far more important than the health of the citizens of this nation.

 

[emptystep]

Just goes to show. Government will be the death of us all.

 

[Old Rocks]

The President should have signed that. And we should be doing a lot more to prepare for the inevitable consequences of a warming atmosphere. Unfortunetely, there are few who understand science in either party.

 

[Mad Scientist]

The President should have signed that. And we should be doing a lot more to prepare for the inevitable consequences of a warming atmosphere. Unfortunetely, there are few who understand science in either party.

He said he didn't wanna' torpedo the Economy. How come you DO?

 

[daveman]

The President should have signed that. And we should be doing a lot more to prepare for the inevitable consequences of a warming atmosphere. Unfortunetely, there are few who understand science in either party.

He said he didn't wanna' torpedo the Economy. How come you DO?

Because he's stupid.

 

[Old Rocks]

The President should have signed that. And we should be doing a lot more to prepare for the inevitable consequences of a warming atmosphere. Unfortunetely, there are few who understand science in either party.

He said he didn't wanna' torpedo the Economy. How come you DO?

There is a far greater chance that lack of prepartion, and continueing on the same path that we are presently on, will torpedo the economy in the near future, than that adaquete preparations for that future will.

US Drought Monitor

 

[emptystep]

The President should have signed that. And we should be doing a lot more to prepare for the inevitable consequences of a warming atmosphere. Unfortunetely, there are few who understand science in either party.

He said he didn't wanna' torpedo the Economy. How come you DO?

There is a far greater chance that lack of prepartion, and continueing on the same path that we are presently on, will torpedo the economy in the near future, than that adaquete preparations for that future will.

US Drought Monitor

So if the the ice caps are melting and there is no water in the air or on the ground, where is all the water?

 

[emptystep]

Hancock and Prudential blurred by haze and the individual buildings of the financial district are indistinguishable. That is not a clear sky and the color is that of the exhaust of a poorly tuned city bus.