Here is another example of the complete disregard the current Administration has for the economy. Alaska has had to sue the Obama administration to block environmental regulations that would require ships sailing in southern Alaska waters to use low-sulfur fuel. The lawsuit challenges the new federal regulations, which require the use of low-sulfur fuel for large marine vessels such as cargo and cruise ships.
The rule is scheduled to be enforced starting on August 1 by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard for ships operating within 200 miles of the shores of southeastern and south-central Alaska.
The lawsuit faults the EPA, the Department of Homeland Security and others for using a marine treaty amendment as the basis for the new federal regulations without waiting for ratification of that amendment by the U.S. Senate. Yes, that's right, it is to comply with another "international (UN) treaty" signed by the Obama Administration making U.S. citizens and companies subject to laws not passed by our own Congress!
The Alaska Department of Law said in a statement that the low-sulfur-fuel requirement would be costly, jacking up prices for products shipped by marine vessel and harming Alaska's cruise industry. Have you ever been to Alaska? They have to pay more for everything from lettuce to toothpaste already because it needs to be shipped in.
"Alaska relies heavily on maritime traffic, both for goods shipped to and from the state, and for the cruise ship passengers who support thousands of Alaskan jobs," Alaska Attorney General Michael Geraghty said in a statement.
"There are reasonable and equally effective alternatives for the Secretary and the EPA to consider which would still protect the environment but dramatically reduce the severe impact these regulations will have on Alaskan jobs and families."
Totem Ocean Trailer Express, a major shipper operating in Alaska, estimates that the move to low-sulfur fuel will increase its costs by 8 percent.
The treaty amendment at issue is a 2010 agreement under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, or MARPOL. The United States signedMARPOL, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has accepted the 2010 amendment for the Obama Administration.
Domestic enforcement of the amendment is not permitted without ratification by two-thirds of the U.S. Senate which has not yet happened, but the EPA is moving to enforce the regulations anyway! The EPA has also failed to conduct an environmental analysis, which is also required by law before laws like these are put into place.
The lawsuit names as defendants the EPA and its director, Lisa Jackson, the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Janet Napolitano, the Coast Guard and its commandant, Admiral Robert Papp, and, of course, Hillery Clinton (I think they should have named Barrack Obama as well).
The Administration has to stop with these UN and International treaties that give away our sovereign rights. Two other treatie in the works that would do this are the "Law of the Sea" Treaty, which has some good features but allows international regulations to take effect on our waterways, including inland rivers, and forces us to pay royalties (taxes) to the United Nations on our off-shore oil production! Another treaty on Arms Control would force U.S. citizens to register their personal firearms and ammunition with the United Nations who would regulate the types and numbers of firearms and ammunition that you could buy (something that flies in the face of the 2nd Amendment).
The main safeguard we have against an Administration overturning our sovereign laws this way is the requirement that treaties be ratified by 2/3'd vote in the Senate before they take effect. But now, as we see in the Alaska case, the Administration is moving to enforce these treaties before that even has a chance to be debated, let alone voted on. It really is outrageous -and Romney should be making it a topic in his bid to defeat Obama.
The rule is scheduled to be enforced starting on August 1 by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard for ships operating within 200 miles of the shores of southeastern and south-central Alaska.
The lawsuit faults the EPA, the Department of Homeland Security and others for using a marine treaty amendment as the basis for the new federal regulations without waiting for ratification of that amendment by the U.S. Senate. Yes, that's right, it is to comply with another "international (UN) treaty" signed by the Obama Administration making U.S. citizens and companies subject to laws not passed by our own Congress!
The Alaska Department of Law said in a statement that the low-sulfur-fuel requirement would be costly, jacking up prices for products shipped by marine vessel and harming Alaska's cruise industry. Have you ever been to Alaska? They have to pay more for everything from lettuce to toothpaste already because it needs to be shipped in.
"Alaska relies heavily on maritime traffic, both for goods shipped to and from the state, and for the cruise ship passengers who support thousands of Alaskan jobs," Alaska Attorney General Michael Geraghty said in a statement.
"There are reasonable and equally effective alternatives for the Secretary and the EPA to consider which would still protect the environment but dramatically reduce the severe impact these regulations will have on Alaskan jobs and families."
Totem Ocean Trailer Express, a major shipper operating in Alaska, estimates that the move to low-sulfur fuel will increase its costs by 8 percent.
The treaty amendment at issue is a 2010 agreement under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, or MARPOL. The United States signedMARPOL, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has accepted the 2010 amendment for the Obama Administration.
Domestic enforcement of the amendment is not permitted without ratification by two-thirds of the U.S. Senate which has not yet happened, but the EPA is moving to enforce the regulations anyway! The EPA has also failed to conduct an environmental analysis, which is also required by law before laws like these are put into place.
The lawsuit names as defendants the EPA and its director, Lisa Jackson, the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Janet Napolitano, the Coast Guard and its commandant, Admiral Robert Papp, and, of course, Hillery Clinton (I think they should have named Barrack Obama as well).
The Administration has to stop with these UN and International treaties that give away our sovereign rights. Two other treatie in the works that would do this are the "Law of the Sea" Treaty, which has some good features but allows international regulations to take effect on our waterways, including inland rivers, and forces us to pay royalties (taxes) to the United Nations on our off-shore oil production! Another treaty on Arms Control would force U.S. citizens to register their personal firearms and ammunition with the United Nations who would regulate the types and numbers of firearms and ammunition that you could buy (something that flies in the face of the 2nd Amendment).
The main safeguard we have against an Administration overturning our sovereign laws this way is the requirement that treaties be ratified by 2/3'd vote in the Senate before they take effect. But now, as we see in the Alaska case, the Administration is moving to enforce these treaties before that even has a chance to be debated, let alone voted on. It really is outrageous -and Romney should be making it a topic in his bid to defeat Obama.
Live Long and Prosper...
No comments:
Post a Comment