http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/34768-on-the-news-with-thom-hartmann
[video in on-line article]
Tuesday, 09 February 2016 00:00 By Thom Hartmann,
The Thom Hartmann Program | Video Report
You need to know this. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals says that it's
time to end the era of "privatize the gains, and socialize the losses."
Last week, the public interest law firm Earthjustice broke the news that
one of our nation's highest courts says it's time for the EPA to make
polluters pay to clean up their own messes. Working on behalf of
conservation groups, Earthjustice attorneys filed suit to demand that
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalize so-called "financial
assurance" rules that require companies stay financially viable enough
to pay for the potential cleanup of any toxic substances that they
produce. In other words, these rules prevent companies from causing a
toxic spill then declaring bankruptcy to avoid the cost of clean up. And
these rules have actually been in place since 1983, when they were
issued as part of the EPA's "Superfund" law. But that agency pretty much
ignored them until a 2009 court ruling ordered the EPA to start
enforcing these regulations. Since that 2009 case, the agency had once
again started to ignore these important rules, which left taxpayers
picking up the tab for toxic spills. So, Earthjustice and other groups
filed suit to force the agency to follow the rules that are already on
the books. And the DC Circuit Court of Appeals agreed that corporations
- not taxpayers - should pay to clean up their own disasters. Their
ruling stated, "It is a common practice for operators [of sites that
produce hazardous substances] to avoid paying environmental liabilities
by declaring bankruptcy or otherwise sheltering assets." And they agreed
that holding corporations accountable will also give them a financial
incentive to make their businesses as safe as possible to begin with.
Amanda Goodin, one of the attorneys for Earthjustice, said, "Today's
court ruling is clear - we will no longer see polluters cheating the
system, evading their financial obligations, and skipping town on their
toxic messes, leaving taxpayers stuck with hefty cleanup bills." Next
time a big company considers skimping on safety in the name of profit,
they will have to be willing to back up that decision with corporate
dollars.
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