Climate Zombie Riders Pollute House Appropriations Bills

by Brad Johnson Posted on July 20, 2011 at 4:37 pm

The Tea Party-dominated House of Representatives is attaching a raft of provisions to its spending bills designed to block action to address greenhouse pollution and its deadly impacts. In addition to drastic cuts to clean energy investment and increases in subsidies for fossil energy, riders that kill off climate action are being added to the dozen appropriations bills that have to be approved by the House. So far, the House has passed Agriculture appropriation (H.R. 2112), Military Construction appropriation (H.R. 2055), Energy and Water appropriation (H.R. 2354). The Interior and Environment appropriation (H.R. 2584) and Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriation (unnumbered) have passed out of committee and are awaiting a vote on the House floor.

The House of Representatives is polluted by dozens of proud deniers of the scientific threat of global warming, many of them freshmen elected in the Tea Party takeover of 2010.

Here is a list of many of these anti-climate riders in the appropriations bills, compiled by NRDC and ThinkProgress Green:

KILLING CLEAN-ENERGY PROGRAMS

HIGH-CARBON FUELS: A rider in the Agriculture appropriation (Sec. 749), the Military Construction appropriation (Sec. 417), and the Energy and Water appropriation (Sec. 616) offered by Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX) would reverse Section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act and allow the federal government to purchase dirtier fuels for its vehicles. The rider says the government can buy fuels like liquid coal even though current law forbids purchasing alternative fuels that emit more carbon pollution than conventional fuels do. Adopted each time on voice vote.

WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: A rider in the Energy and Water appropriation (Sec. 617) offered by Rep. Todd Young (R-IN) would block implementation of the Weatherization Assistance Program. Adopted on voice vote.

LIGHTING STANDARDS: A rider in the Energy and Water appropriation (Sec. 623) offered by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) would prohibit spending to enforce the incandescent lighting efficiency standards in the 2007 energy law signed by President George W. Bush. Adopted on voice vote.

INTERNATIONAL CLEAN ENERGY FUNDING: A rider in the Energy and Water appropriation (Sec. 628) offered by Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) would prohibit spending on international activities at the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the Department of Energy except for Israel. Approved by a House vote of 236-185.

PROMOTING GREENHOUSE POLLUTION

AGRIBUSINESS CESSPOOL GREENHOUSE POLLUTION: A rider in the Interior and Environment appropriation (Sec. 429) offered by Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) would prevent the EPA from requiring the reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from manure management systems.

POWER PLANT GREENHOUSE POLLUTION: A rider in the Interior and Environment appropriation (Sec. 431) offered by Simpson would prevent the EPA from limiting carbon pollution from power plants and other stationary sources.

AUTOMOTIVE GREENHOUSE POLLUTION: A rider in the Interior and Environment appropriation offered by Rep. Steve Austria (R-OH) would block the EPA from setting new mileage standards for cars based on greenhouse pollution and from allowing California to do so. Passed committee by a vote of 27-20.

PREVENTING CLIMATE READINESS

NOAA CLIMATE SERVICE: In the Commerce, Justice, and Science committee report, “It is the Committee’s intention that no funds shall be used to create a Climate Service at NOAA.”

ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS CLIMATE READINESS: Language in the Energy and Water appropriation committee report offered by Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA) prohibits spending on response to climate change in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects, with $4.9 million cut from their budget and transferred to the Spending Reduction Account. Approved by a House vote of 218-191.

AGRICULTURE CLIMATE READINESS: A rider in the Agriculture appropriation (Sec. 755) blocks the Agriculture Department (USDA) from carrying out its Policy Statement on Climate Adaptation. The rider by Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) would prevent the USDA from even assessing what impacts climate change might have on farmers, foresters and other landholders. Approved by a House vote of 238-179.

HOMELAND SECURITY CLIMATE READINESS: A provision in the Homeland Security appropriation (H.R. 2017, Sec. 707) offered by Rep. John Carter (R-TX) prevents the Department of Homeland Security from running its Climate Change Adaptation Task Force. Approved by a House vote of 242-180.

Many other anti-environmental riders protecting mountaintop removal, coal ash, mercury, fertilizer dumping, offshore drilling, and other activities by industrial polluters have major implications for climate pollution as well.