Massachusetts/U.S. governor puts politics before planet

Today Governor Romney of the state of Massachusetts in the U.S. failed citizens yet again by bailing on the Regional greenhouse Gas Initiative(RGGI) that all other New England states, save Rhode Island, signed onto yesterday. The pact calls for freezing power plant emissions and then reducing them by 10 percent by 2020. Many feel that Romney’s initial support, more recent backsliding, and his final rejection has everything to do with presidential politics. The RGGI was scheduled for its debut at the Climate Change summit in Montreal last week, but Romney's objections concerning costs to industry prevented that announcement. In essence, the governor has done just what the Bush regime did at the talks: created roadblocks and put rightwing politics before the planet. Romney contends that Massachusetts' own plan to reduce greenhouse emissions from the state's six dirtiest power plants (most of which are called "The Filthy Five") would make Massachusetts the first state with carbon dioxide limits. His plan however includes thresholds allowing power plants to exceed emission limits if the cost of controlling them is too high for the industry. Always a friend to the corporados, it’s hardly surprising that the governor would defer to the bottom line.

According to the DEP’s website, a western Massachusetts public hearing will be conducted to receive public comment, both oral and written, on the proposed regulation on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 6 pm at the Best Western Sovereign Hotel,1080 Riverdale Street in West Springfield. This seems like an excellent opportunity to let the governor and his minions know how you feel about putting politics before the planet. The results of climate disruption caused by industry in the U.S. and filthy power plants like the Mt. Tom coal burner in Holyoke is the sorry legacy we leave to our children and grandchildren. It is our duty to everything in our power to lessen the impact upon future generations caused by our over-consumptive and wasteful lifestyle; a destructive way of life that is encouraged and enabled by corporations, utilities and governments like the one headed by Mitt Romney here in the so-called Commonwealth.