Editorials

Speaking of Stephen Johnson, he certainly put on a towering display of arrogance at week's end.

In a press conference, Johnson essentially explained that he would ignore the advice of his own scientists and lawyers and hold off making a long-awaited decision as to whether global warming threatens human health. That move would require additional regulations that surely would be burdensome to industry.

Johnson, of course, is simply carrying water for the Bush administration — something of which he has proven very capable. His comments also go a long way in explaining why the Environmental Protection Agency seems ready to sign off on the ridiculous changes to air quality standards in Alabama mentioned above.

This is surprising to no one who has followed the administration's quest to gut environmental policy in this country.

Still, it comes as a bitter surprise. In recent months, President Bush has made a number of public statements that would lead one to believe change was coming, and for the better.

A few days ago, for example, Bush made an ambitious pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050. This from a man who used to ignore the science suggesting there was a serious global-warming problem.

But, alas, words from Bush's top sycophant at the EPA show all this to be window dressing, words to placate the greenies of the world while giving industry what it wants — at least until he can exit office.

It is a sad day when the agency Americans count on to protect the health of the people and the environment starts behaving like the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, the protector of industry, the enabler of policy that begets dirty air and dirty water.

This president, this administration, should be ashamed. As of now, it has absolutely nothing to show for environmental policy except to make the EPA look like the ADEM of the United States.