Wampum

And speaking of the EPA mercury emissions report...

In case memory in the blogosphere is fleeting, this is not the first time the OMB attempted to sabatoge EPA findings on the dangers of mercury emissions to the nation's children. Back in February, 2003, I reported on Mitch Daniels and the OMB delaying the EPA's report on the health of US children by nine months. In that instance, EPA worker bees leaked the White House's stonewalling to Sen. Barbara Boxer's office, stirring up a bit of a firestorm.

Obviously, it wasn't enough of a ruckus to prevent the White House from trying the same tactic again, although this time, it appears the not only did OMB delay, but it actually redacted information from the NAS's 2000 report on the dangers of mercury emissions. [Nota bene: As mentioned on Monday, EPA has now warned that the NAS number significantly low-balled the dangers to pregnant women and newborns, by an order of magnitude - 60,000 vs. 630,000 per year.]

When I wrote on the subject last year, I firmly believed OMB Director Daniels was motivated by the desire to conceal the dangers of mercury in children, namely due to his ties to Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of the mercury-based preservative, thimerosal. And while Daniels' personal motives might still be suspect, it appears now that the White House is concerned about a problem which may be much more widespread and potentially damaging to the energy industry, an even more important GOP backer than BigPharma.

The concept that so many children have been, and continue to be at risk may be just too difficult for the American psyche to wrap itself around; even yesterday, I stood gazing longingly at the sushi counter at Wild Oats before walking away empty-handed. But on today's agenda: A call to the food service department of my children's school, to make certain that the tuna they're served 2-4 times a month is "light chunk", not albacore.

Posted by MB Williams at April 7, 2004 07:05 AM | TrackBack