EPA continues its feet-dragging on tighetening smog standard

The EPA dragged its feet again, stonewalling efforts of many states, including California, for better emission standard. The EPA chief Stephen Johnson denies the influence of White House once again, as usual.

The agency has a dilemma? - to protect the environment, or to do so only when it is convenient for the economy?

You would think that "Environmental Protection Agency" is a dedicated branch to the ... protection of environment? And so it continues to drag its feet on emission control, especially favoring the pace of the auto-industry. You would think that they should be an agency for the environment?

Interestingly, Johnson rose to the top of the rank in March, 2005 when Bush named him the new EPA chief. For years environmentalists and the Oversight Committee have noticed a pattern of political meddling, which EPA denies repeatedly.

This is perfect example of short-sighted politics and economics at its best, in which few special interest groups and easily-influenced politicians determines the issue on the table based on lobbying and campaign contributions and tax revenues.