In 2002, the White House launched an environmental initiatives: Clear Skies (H.R. 999, 108th Cong. 2003) President Bush described the Clear Skies legislation as a new approach "based on this common-sense idea: that economic growth is key to environmental progress, because it is growth that provides the resources for investment in clean technologies." (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/release./2002/02/20020214-5.html) He touted this program as combining "the power of markets, the creativity of entrepreneurs, and ... the best scientific research." (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/release./2002/02/20020214-5.html) According to President Bush, the proposed legislation would "dramatically reduce the three most significant forms of pollution from power plants, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and mercury." (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/release./2002/02/20020214-5.html) Environmental groups, Democratic presidential candidates, and others quickly criticized the plan as a mere weakening of the Clean Air Act. (http://leahy.senate.govpress/200204/042202c.html) For example, the Sierra Club described the initiative as "a smokescreen for more pollution." (http://www.sierraclub.org/cleanair/clear_skies.asp) And presidential candidate Reverend Al Sharpton described the Clear Skies proposal as being nothing more than a gift from President Bush to his corporate supporters. (Seelye, A22)
Industry, politicians, and news media have painted a rather bleak picture of the regional economy. And what is rather clever about this story is that it turns private interests--those of the natural resources industry--into something that looks like a public interest--that of the entire region. Images of open-pit mines, farms, and ranches, however, distort the communities' understanding of its current and evolving economic base. New jobs are found in small firms and anonymous office buildings, not out on the range. Moreover, economists argue that not only is the story inaccurate in saying that environmental law detrimentally affects the region's economy, but environmental law actually enhances welfare and protects the very source of economic vitality that the Mountain West enjoys. Despite this research to the contrary, the Bush Administration forges ahead with stories about the need to balance the environment and the economy, and accordingly promotes programs such as Clear Skies.............
