Community | November 14, 2010 | 69 comments

Tea Partiers Protest Clean Water Rules Meant To Prevent Bladder Cancer

source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/11/tea-partiers-protest-clean-water-bladder-cancer_n_7...

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JanforGore
- An attempt by a Kentucky water district to raise rates in order to meet clean water regulations has become political, with a local Tea Party organization stepping in and arguing that the county should simply ignore federal rules.

The Northern Kentucky Water District is seeking a 25 percent rate increase by January 2012, and according to The Kentucky Enquirer, a major reason for the raise is to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regulations that are meant to prevent bladder cancer by "requiring that water utilities nationwide improve their treatment of drinking water to eliminate byproducts left over after chemical disinfection."

"The standard that we have to meet as to whether our water is safe or not is based upon the regulations that are set under the Safe Drinking Water Act and that are administered through the (Kentucky) Division of Water," said Northern Kentucky Water President and CEO Ron Lovan during a hearing last month. "Is our water safe? Yes, we feel it's safe based upon the current regulations. ... That's the standard that we've got to meet."

The EPA, however, is the arch-nemesis of many conservatives, who believe that it overreaches and imposes unnecessary regulations on states, localities and businesses.

But according to Lovan, if the local water district refuses to comply, it could face up to $25,000 per day in fines, the leadership could go to prison and the state Division of Water could possibly step in and take over. He added that the EPA regulations have been in the works since the 1990s and had significant public input.

"It's been years in the making, it was a very public process that they (EPA officials) took a lot of input from a lot of interest groups all around the country," said Lovan. "Whether the Tea Party folks believe that or not, it was a very open, public process before we got to the point where we are today."

During a hearing on the issue last month, Duane Skavdahl, an attorney representing the Tea Party group, lamented that "nobody will take on the EPA."

A Campbell County fiscal court judge recently told the Tea Party that if it was really concerned about the agency, it needed to take it up on the federal level. "What you're going to have to realize is that a federal mandate is the reason that we're involved in this conversation, and you're going to have to be talking to the federal people, and hopefully in a little bit different tone of voice and with different expectations than the way you're laying it out to us," said Judge Steve Pendery.

The Northern Kentucky Water District estimates that 80 percent of the $88 million increase is attributable to the new Safe Drinking Water Act regulations, but Northern Kentucky Tea Party member Garth Kuhnhein, who is a mining engineer, suspects that federal regulators were off on their cost projections.

According to the EPA, the regulations are intended to reduce not only bladder cancer, but also colon cancer, rectal cancer, and health risks to pregnant women and their fetuses. The Northern Kentucky Tea Party did not return a request for comment.

Tea Partiers are increasingly getting active locally, with groups in Arizona protesting changes in trash collection and a mandatory recycling program.
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69 comments // Tea Partiers Protest Clean Water Rules Meant To Prevent Bladder Cancer

  • dariusvons
    • -1
      dariusvons  

    • tea partyiers have nothing to do with this... why are they even mentioned? this is meant to belittle an ideology that has NOTHING to do with the topic!

    • 1 year ago
  • Austin_Edgington
  • dariusvons
    • 0
      dariusvons  
    • Austin_Edgington:

      unless I missed something wasn't the tea party supposed to be about overturning the federal reserve, abolishing the IRS, and revamping the tax system? what does that have to do with corn syrup or xenophobia... or water treatment standards?

    • 1 year ago
  • Austin_Edgington
    • 0
      Austin_Edgington  
    • dariusvons:

      ..and abolishing the IRS isn't just a tad extreme. How would we pay the police, postal service, vets etc? There are many nice ideas floating around the Tea Party, congressional reform, tax reform, but overall the extreme vision of a few, well characterized by Palin, Beck, Limbaugh and the rest of the media whores who prey on the fears of a few xenophobic twits to make a dollar and offer little of real value to society doesn't constitute an ideology.

    • 1 year ago
  • dariusvons
    • 0
      dariusvons  
    • Austin_Edgington:

      I suppose then you think the private and closed to audit federal reserve is a good thing huh? or that the IRS is actually a legal institution (it isn't)... considering that of the 25% of my income that goes to taxes never actually goes to anything I will use or need, let alone the fact that my taxes go to things I do not support (war, welfare programs)... how could you support a tax system designed to prevent the lower classes from advancing in status, keeping the rich rich and the poor poor? really? you think this is capitalism?

      ...all I mean is that a group of tax evating whatevers is being scapegoiated over something that has nothing to do with them. the tea party has NOTHING to do with water sanitation (as is the topic), and to drag the name into this discussion is a scapegoat attempt. and I can see through it, sorry you cannot, and seem stuck on bashing tea party people...
      as for paying for all these "public services" I don't have an answer, but I do think that nearly all should be put up to private contractors. for example, since the ombudsman (in idaho) is mostly pointless (because he always sides with the corrupt and abusive officers) then we should vote on bids or something to contract security companies for our police forces just as security companies do when contracted to a busness. this would make it easy to get rid corrupt and abusive cops who currently have zero accountability and enable the public to replace them with a competing security force if desired... also driving the cost down due to competition.

    • 1 year ago
  • dariusvons
  • Numbz
  • Fourfingaz
    • +2
      Fourfingaz  

    • This whole article makes me laugh......I mean really. Are we really this F*cking Stupid as a society?!?!?!? The whole point that really matters is that all city water Is so polluted with chemicals that this is Just a joke to even read. I mean remove all the pharmaceutical drugs, the fluoride, and chlorine. I live in the country....When I go into the city and drink water out of the sink Haaaa It tastes just like the water out of my pool. I'm sorry but we as a people really need to pull our heads out of are asses and start educating ourselves and stop listening to these bought and sold politicians, media, and multi billion dollar corporations cause they dont give a flying F*ck about you or your family....Just there Wallets and future investments Bllllllllllaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLgKeHOgneQ

    • 1 year ago
  • Incredulous
  • Austin_Edgington
  • tverdell
  • timetide
  • grandavi
  • Austin_Edgington
  • Incredulous
    • +1
      Incredulous  

    • You know, there's another whole dimension to this story that sits just slightly out of the spotlight. Kentucky is one of the areas of this nation that for the longest time remained fairly isolated. People got their water from springs and wells that they dug themselves. It comes as no surprise that a mining engineer would put forth the notion that the EPA was off on their projections, but Kentucky's water has become increasingly endangered by coal mining, and especially mountain top removal coal mining. What remains significantly frustrating to me is that the people continue to be the victims of big coal no matter what happens. No one is talking about the fact that they need extra protections for their water supply because Kentucky's politicians, no matter what political party they are affiliated with, have not protected the citizenry, the environment, health...none of it, so while it is a good thing for EPA to be able to enforce stricter standards, from the coal miner's perspective, the cost of this is going to be passed off to him, not the coal company that has been polluting and causing the need for EPA to step in. Neither side is admitting that the real problem is that we have a government that is unwilling to make large polluting corporations accountable for the damage they do.

      Rick Boucher, Virginia's Democratic Congressman serving his 14th term in the 9th district, tried to sell a similar line of reasoning in Virginia, and he was voted out of office in every single county of his district. People are no longer buying the "we need coal" argument that elected and kept politicians like Boucher in office. Politicians, mining engineers, coal and electric companies--they are all adept at twisting words around to avoid the real truth of what is and has been going on for a long, long time, and that is gross unaccountability to the people of this nation for business practices that are selfish, greedy, and care nothing for the future well being of the generations to come.

    • 1 year ago
  • artemis6
  • Incredulous
    • +2
      Incredulous  
    • artemis6:

      Well, their politicians have intentionally kept them too poor to leave, same thing in West Virginia, thus providing coal mining companies with a never ending source of cheap labor. But you are right, people in the more remote regions at least used to be able to keep themselves alive with the hard work of growing crops, keeping a few animals, taking care of each other, but all of that will die once big business completely ruins and/or takes control of the water supply and sells it back to the poor at rates they cannot afford. It is already happening in South America.

    • 1 year ago
  • PzLuvHappeniz
    • 0
      PzLuvHappeniz  

    • This just proves that tea partiers just want to find anything that they deem "part of the liberal agenda" and vote against before thinking about how it may actually be the right thing to do. If the tea party every become big enough to influence american politics and a large scale in just gonna leave...

    • 1 year ago
  • EdJoyProductions
    • +8
      EdJoyProductions  

    • Just in case you were wondering who is financing the tea baggers, who would possibly profit from clean water regulations being curtailed? I will give you a hint, not people with bladder cancer.

      When are people going to stop voting against their own best interests and wake the fuck up?

    • 1 year ago
  • unimatrix0
  • dreamsenvoy
  • JanforGore
    • +9
      JanforGore  

    • I do not always agree with everything the EPA does. However, the Safe Drinking Water Act is designed to protect the public health from pathogens in our water that lead to diseases and possible death. We in the United States are fortunate enough to have the tools necessary to prevent the types of waterborne diseases that kill more children in the developing world than war. And here we sit, unappreciative of those tools. The Safe Drinking Water Act and The Clean Air Act are for the common good. Now, if you are someone who wants to take a gamble with getting a waterborne disease, fine. If so you should then be prohibited from seeking any redress against any agency or complaining about the cost or lack of healthcare. There are things about the government I do not agree with as well. And while changing it on many levels is something I agree needs to be done, trying clandestinely, deliberately, and with malice to dismantle it in its entirety, even the rare good parts of it is quite another.

      http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/mdbp/index.cfm

      This is a bit more on the process of disinfection which some pathogens are resistant to, hence the updated rules. And personally, I would be willing to pay 4 dollars extra knowing my water would have less chance of killing me or my child. Though honestly I don't agree with the fines. I think if you don't want to comply then fine, get sick and then whine about the healthcare system in this country you don't have access to because you worked to dismantle that as well.

    • 1 year ago
  • macdontcare
    • +2
      macdontcare  

    • Complete lack of thought. Perhaps the people of Kentucky would like flamable water. You merely burn off the toxins you don't want when bathing, brushing your teeth, or simply having drink.

    • 1 year ago
  • ayipis
    • -8
      ayipis  

    • of course..typical radical eco terrorist people would think RAISING RATES cures CANCER..same shit that HAVING CONCERTS cures POVERTY.

    • 1 year ago
  • MizPiz
  • TomTucker
  • noxidereus
  • DougChristian
  • nanac
    • +6
      nanac  

    • The Republican Tea Partiers are politicians gone wild..Their loyalty lies with the corporations that purchased their way into office...They could care less about the well-being of Americans and the environment...While promising to repeal the new health-care act, make big cuts to medicaid, and medicare, they are simultaneously advocating big-cuts/ deregulations in the EPA..

    • 1 year ago
  • Saladin
    • +9
      Saladin  

    • Bizarre.

      Who are these people? Are they for real?

      How is it a conservative value to drink shitty water?

      I smell a plant. I've never heard of a "local" campaign to purposefully lower water quality.

    • 1 year ago
  • navider
    • -3
      navider  

    • The guy below may be a child molester!

      Also funk Kentucky................these rednecks deserve mutated kids and they are asking for it!

    • 1 year ago
  • Nephwrack
  • bastian1971
  • navider
  • ozoneocean
  • Sparky2U
    • -20
      Sparky2U  
    • Image

    • More Garbage from the huffington liberal gazette. A single Water District ? You call a Single Water District with 6 or fewer board members and One professed Tea Party advocate; THE EVIL TEA PARTY THAT WANTS TO DESTROY THE ENVIRONMENT! What kind of brain matter do you people possess? I am guessing you were dropped on your heads at birth.
      What a load; I am so glad you clowns LOST the elections!

    • 1 year ago
  • navider
  • JanforGore
    • +10
      JanforGore  
    • Sparky2U:

      I posted another link FROM THE SOURCE. Why can't you address the fact that this is about CLEAN SAFE WATER? What's the matter? Don't like seeing their true agenda exposed for what it is? The "Tea Party" is backed by the Koch Brothers. Perhaps they now get their marching orders from them. How anyone could deliberately work to stand in the way of providing safer water for people is beyond my comprehension.

    • 1 year ago
  • riverratt50
    • -9
      riverratt50  
    • JanforGore:

      Show the evidence where it is safer by them adding chemicals....... And let just talk a little about the addition of floride to water, ya reckon that rat poison is good for ya... and the EPA insist on putting that crap in there. This is bullshit when you sit back and believe crap that the government says are facts without facts. And I DON'T want to see one of their own self-serving studies either,,,,,, Independent study, not one word from a government study or from anyone that makes profit from this crap. Show me the proof and ill show you two to counter it.

    • 1 year ago
  • noxidereus
  • macdontcare
  • macdontcare
  • danitassin
    • +1
      danitassin  
    • JanforGore:

      I think it's more that they're standing in the way of someone else taking credit for purifying our water. The EPA has been hearing about this for years. In my opinion, plenty of time to either remove the floridation part of the process, or install reverse osmosis filters. So to me it seems the floride providing company is paying some one off, either the government or the EPA. Who is the floride providing comany? or is it alot of companies? how many people work for those companies? Our many years of doing business this way has caused so much more of a problem than just floride in our water or chemicals in our food. We have completely structured our economy around it. Therefore, there's alot more to it than just pulling the plug on the floride, or the chemicals, or oil for that matter.
      No matter how much it sucks to have floride in the water and polluted air, I know that everything is so much bigger than me.

    • 1 year ago
  • CalgarC
    • +7
      CalgarC  

    • the tea-party is filled with loonies... can we find some other source of stupidity to laugh at... i haven't seen a will ferrell movie in a while lets go check whats out

    • 1 year ago
  • Swisher
    • +12
      Swisher  

    • Clearly, evolution would take care of the Tea Party, if it weren't for their attempt to thwart safety regulations for the rest of us. We need a second planet these nuts can spoil for themselves.

    • 1 year ago
  • Ihatethemall
  • JanforGore
  • CalgarC
  • macdontcare
  • Ihatethemall
  • Ihatethemall
  • JanforGore
    • +11
      JanforGore  

    • The "tea party" label is how the Republicans snuck in ultra conservative wackos into our government who care nothing for human life, just their ideology. I weep for this country. Time to beat these haters back.

    • 1 year ago
  • Sparky2U
  • reactionforce
  • JanforGore
  • Goblin_Jim
  • riverratt50
  • riverratt50
    • -3
      riverratt50  
    • JanforGore:

      show the proof mouthy gore lover........ and not any of their own studies..... show me one independent study that says it's good and I'll show you two that shows it's bullshit that don't need to be in there. Do you know what fluoride is? Or do you just not care?

    • 1 year ago
  • riverratt50
  • riverratt50
    • +1
      riverratt50  
    • JanforGore:

      http://tuberose.com/Fluoride.html

      Fluorine compounds or fluorides are listed by the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) as among the top 20 of 275 substances posing the most significant threat to human health. What? the US Agency for Toxic Substances don't communicate with the EPA. And I thought our government was efficient under the direction of all them dems.....

    • 1 year ago
  • 1947lucymaldonado
  • TomTucker
  • macdontcare
  • macdontcare
  • macdontcare
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore
  • projectmayhem
  • Austin_Edgington
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