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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 29, 2018)
OFF PAGE ONE Saturday, December 29, 2018 East Oregonian A9 EPA targets Obama crackdown on mercury from coal plants By ELLEN KNICKMEYER Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Friday targeted an Obama- era regulation credited with helping dramatically reduce toxic mercury pollu- tion from coal-fired power plants, saying the benefits to human health and the envi- ronment may not be worth the cost of the regulation. The 2011 Obama admin- istration rule, called the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, led to what elec- tric utilities say was an $18 billion clean-up of mercury and other toxins from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants. Overall, environmental groups say, federal and state efforts have cut mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants by 85 percent in roughly the last decade. Mercury causes brain damage, learning disabili- ties and other birth defects in children, among other harm. Coal power plants in this country are the largest single man-made source of mer- cury pollutants, which enters the food chain through fish and other items that people consume. A proposal Friday from the Environmental Protec- tion Agency challenges the basis for the Obama regu- lation. It calculates that the crackdown on mercury and other toxins from coal plants produced only a few million dollars a year in measur- able health benefits and was not “appropriate and neces- sary” — a legal benchmark under the country’s land- mark Clean Air Act. The proposal, which now goes up for public comment before any final administra- tion approval, would leave the current mercury regula- tion in place. However, the EPA said it will seek comment during a 60-day public-review period on whether “we would be obligated to rescind” the Obama-era rule if the agency adopts Friday’s find- AP Photo/J. David Ake, File In this July 27, 2018, file photo, the Dave Johnson coal- fired power plant is silhouetted against the morning sun in Glenrock, Wyo. ing that the regulation was not appropriate and nec- essary. Any such change would trigger new rounds in what have already been years of court battles over regulating mercury pollution from coal plants. Friday’s move is the latest by the Trump administration that changes estimates of the costs and payoffs of regula- tions as part of an overhaul of Obama-era environmen- tal protections. It’s also the adminis- tration’s latest proposed move on behalf of the U.S. coal industry, which has been struggling in the face of competition from natu- ral gas and other cheaper, cleaner forms of energy. The Trump administration in August proposed an over- haul for another Obama-era regulation that would have prodded electricity provid- ers to get less of their energy from dirtier-burning coal plants. In a statement, the EPA said Friday the administra- tion was “providing regu- latory certainty” by more accurately estimating the costs and benefits of the Obama administration crackdown on mercury and other toxic emissions from smokestacks. Hal Quinn, head of the National Mining Associ- ation, charged in a state- ment Friday that the Obama administration had car- ried out “perhaps the larg- est regulatory accounting fraud perpetrated on Ameri- can consumers” when it cal- culated that the broad health benefits to Americans would outweigh the cost of equip- ment upgrades by power providers. Sen. Tom Carper of Del- aware, the top Democrat on the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Commit- tee, condemned the Trump administration’s move. The EPA has “decided to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory” after the success- ful clean-up of toxins from the country’s coal-plant smokestacks, Carper said. He and other opponents of the move said the Trump administration was play- ing with numbers, ignoring what Carper said were clear health, environmental and economic benefits to come up with a bottom line that suited the administration’s deregulatory aims. Janet McCabe, a for- mer air-quality official in the Obama administra- tion’s EPA, called the pro- posal part of “the quiet dis- mantling of the regulatory framework” for the federal government’s environmen- tal protections. Coming one week into a government shutdown, and in the lull between Christmas and New Year, “this low- key announcement shouldn’t fool anyone — it is a big deal, with significant impli- cations,” McCabe said. Shutdown could block federal aid to farmers hit by trade war By JULIET LINDERMAN Associated Press WASHINGTON — The end of 2018 seemed to sig- nal good things to come for America’s farmers. Fresh off the passage of the farm bill, which reauthorized agricul- ture, conservation and safety net programs, the USDA last week announced a second round of direct payments to growers hardest hit by Pres- ident Donald Trump’s trade war with China. Then the government shut down. The USDA in a statement issued last week assured farmers that checks would continue to go out during the first week of the shut- down. But direct payments for farmers who haven’t cer- tified production, as well as farm loans and disaster assis- tance programs, will be put on hold beginning next week, and won’t start up again until the government reopens. There is little chance of the government shut- down ending soon. Trump and Congress are no closer to reaching a deal over his demand for border wall funding, and both sides say the impasse could drag well into January. Although certain vital USDA programs will remain operational in the short term, that could change if the shut- down lasts for more than a few weeks. The Supplemental Nutri- tion Assistance Program, or food stamps, helps feed roughly 40 million Amer- icans. According to the USDA, eligible recipi- ents are guaranteed bene- fits through January. Other feeding programs, including WIC, which provides food aid and nutrition counseling for pregnant women, new mothers and children, and food distribution programs on Indian reservations, will continue on a local level, but additional federal funding won’t be provided. School lunch programs will con- tinue through February. Neighbor: Midwife takes on rural care in Hermiston Continued from Page A1 way to Spokane, but didn’t feel it was rural enough. She didn’t want to uproot her twins — currently soph- omores in high school — so her husband is staying with them while she lives in Hermiston and visits on days off. “Luckily I have a car with good gas mileage,” she said. At work, O’Brien cares for women through the stages of family planning, pregnancy, labor and post- partum care. She said she works to understand their needs and wants concerning their birth plan, and provides education and emotional support. Everyone’s idea of a “perfect” birth is different, she said. “I don’t force anything on them,” she said. “I’m basi- cally listening to their con- cerns. Nine times out of 10, they’re going to steer you in the right direction.” She said most pregnant women have a lot of ques- tions and concerns about what is best for the preg- nancy, and it’s import- ant they discuss those with providers during their appointments. “People get lots of well-intentioned but crappy advice from family mem- bers and the internet,” she said. Women will come in falsely believing they can’t ‘LUCKILY I HAVE A CAR WITH GOOD GAS MILEAGE’ titioners include Dr. Diana Edenfield, Dr. Leila Keeler, Dr. Allison Khavkin, Angie Hays, ARNP, and Kelli Ste- phenson, CNM. O’Brien said so far in the two months she has worked there, she is highly impressed with how well- run the clinic is and how supportive the staff are to patients and each other. “I’m very recent, but I’ve been here long enough to know that I love it,” she said. The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. Contributed photo by GSHCS Catherine O’Brien moved to Hermiston in 2018 to work as a midwife for Good Shepherd Women’s Center. eat certain foods, she said, or that they can’t take any medications at all while pregnant. A midwife can help patients sort out exactly what is considered safe or unsafe for the baby and mother during a pregnancy. 1 2 3 4 Patients at Good Shep- herd Women’s Center are encouraged to have appoint- ments with all providers during pregnancy, so that they will be familiar with whoever is on call when they go into labor. Other prac- Whiteline Dig Area Call 811 to Locate ST. ANTHONY HOSPITAL VOLUNTEERS have the unique opportunity to make a positive difference in peoples' lives every day that they generously donate their time and talents. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to learn new skills, make new friends and develop new interests! When you join the St. Anthony Hospital family, you will experience the personal fulfi llment and rewards that only come from helping others. At St. Anthony Hospital, you can volunteer as little as an hour a week or as often as you'd like. Your service is greatly appreciated, so we are thankful for any time you off er. We attempt to fi nd just the right fi t for your talents and skills and our hospital needs. Frequent volunteer opportunities include: • Customer service/cashier in the gift shop, Inspirations. •Customer service at the information desk. • Patient services. • Day Surgery If you’d like to discuss how you can join the St. Anthony Hospital family, please call the number below. Emily Smith • 541-278-2627 • emilysmith@chiwest.com 2801 St. Anthony Way, Pendleton, OR 97801 www.sahpendleton.org eomediagroup.com Thank you to the following businesses for supporting Newspapers in Education Their generous support of the East Oregonian NIE program helps provide copies of the newspaper and unlimited access to EastOregonian.com and the e-Edition to schools throughout Umatilla, Morrow and Gilliam counties. CHI St. Anthony Hospital 1415 Southgate Pendleton, OR 541-276-0880 | RAClub.us 541-276-5121 SAHPendleton.org 2081 St. Anthony Way Pendleton, OR 97801 Wait for Locates 541-240-9161 robertalanpm.com 127 SW Emigrant Ave. #1 Pendleton, OR 97801 541-276-1260 BLUECC.EDU Dig Safe Dean's Pendleton Athletic 2411 NW Carden Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 505 SW 16th St. Pendleton, OR 541-612-8575 KirbyNagelhout.com 301 S. Main St., Pendleton, OR 541-278-6800 • OldWestFCU.org 249 S. Main St. Pendleton, OR 97801 541-276-6988 Facebook.com/ DeansPendletonAthletic For more information on the NIE Program, visit EastOregonian.com/eo/nie. 858387 To make a donation, call 800-522-0255. 1-888-522-1130 | www.cngc.com
