While industry hasn’t been shy to hide behind political skirts before, they are now using them to attack the science of sealant pollution. Recently the Director of the Pavement Coatings Technology Council (PCTC), posted an article a conservative website called American Thinker. For some strange reason (sarcasm), she did not disclose that her day job is to defend the use of coal tar pavement sealers or as they like to call them “refined tar” sealers. She tried to paint this issue as part of a left-wing conspiracy where regulations are founded on shaky science.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The specifics of her claims have been addressed elsewhere on the web (in the State of Texas’ own words) and this site, but the bigger picture here should be addressed as well.
If you’ve read much of this site, you’ve learned that partisan pot-shots are not authored here.
Call me naive but a clean, safer world with a positive economic impact is not the particular realm of any political party. It is in the interest of all citizens that these actions are taken–both the left and the right. This poll found that 94% of Americans (Democrats, Republicans and Independents) want strong leadership in water issues.
This has been true of the citizens and politicians who have acted on this. While the early years have included more progressives, it has had its share of folks right of center as well. In the US Congress at least one Republican Senator at least stood up to ask the EPA some hard questions.
The ban legislation votes in Washington and New York were supported by a bipartisan effort, but have admittedly been led by Democrats. Sadly I have seen Republicans shutter when the possibility exists at being accused of being anti-business, but Democrats have equally run from this issue if it looks to be anti-labor. Ironically this issue is really pro-business (it makes amazingly positive economic sense to ban this) and pro-labor (it is protective of worker exposure to toxic materials).
Once again though industry has tried to hide behind conservatives’ skirts. Why would they do this? Where are the most probable allies to be found? What is the easiest way to divide public opinion about a polluting industry in order to perpetuate this practice?
Let’s hope we can continue to move away from simplistic partisanship and courageously toward a cleaner future wanted by all–except a few trying to protect the status quo.