Obama Apology Uninformed

Simply stated President Obama doesn't know what he is talking about when he recently apologized by saying "the U.S. has fallen short of meeting our responsibilities." The real truth is that the United States led the way internationally through the Environmental Protection Agency regulations and actions. During the 80's and 90's I was involved in the management of a manufacturing company that did business internationally. We did detailed competitive analysis and found out that while we had significant costs in environmental protection, European companies and even Japanese companies, did not. This placed us at a competitive disadvantage as far as cost since we were responsible and they were not.

As further proof, our company built a brand new, state of the art, manufacturing plant in England. In the United States the EPA had strict regulations, rigorously enforced, that required environmental protection on any new facility. Yet in England there were no air quality regulations, we were under no requirements for air quality protection and the associated costs to do so. We were responsible and put them in anyway, investing over $1.5 million.

While the United Sates had strict air pollution control on motor vehicles, Italy, as one example, had none. American school children while visiting Italy, particularly in heavy traffic areas such as Rome, would get sore throats due to the dirty air vs. cleaner air they were used to in the U.S. As a further indication of poor air quality, statues in Rome, some of historic value, became blackened due to soot and dirty air. Only then did they take action. This fact appeared in Italian newspapers.

The United States is criticized for not participating in the Kyoto Protocol. Yet the Protocol amounts to near insanity and would be a major net negative to the environment. Out of the 182 parties that have ratified the agreement, 146 of them are given the ability to pollute-at-will. This includes countries like China and India that are involved in major and massive industrialization.

Yet at the same time the UN initiated Kyoto Protocol is targeted specifically at throttling an already decimated U.S. manufacturing and would impose significant economic damage on the U.S. economy. Costs have been estimated at over $300 billion per year. Further, targets and timetables imposed on the United States were impractical from even a technological standpoint. Still further, severe penalties imposed for not meeting the targets would serve only to further damage the U.S. economy and decimate American manufacturing.

Anyone that has been involved in environmental programs knows that it is the exact opposite of what needs to be done in order to make progress in protecting the environment. The United States, in fact, has had it right for many years. The EPA and many of the state environmental protection agencies require new manufacturing sites and new sources to be designed and built with current state of the art environmental controls as part of the start up. What this does is head off even further pollution of the environment while at the same time placing aggressive, but rational reduction targets on existing sources. If done properly this can and will reduce harmful environmental emissions. Kyoto Protocol on the other hand by allowing China and India (and many others) to pollute-at-will while they are going through massive industrialization will cause a situation where catch up many years down the line will be extremely difficult, if not impossible. This will without question result in a net negative for the environment. Even today, both China and India absolutely refuse to do anything to halt air pollution or anything else in regard to environmental responsibility. With them, it isn't even on the table for discussion.

Mr. Obama, you are flat out wrong. The United States should be proud of it's record of environmental protection through the EPA and state environmental protection agencies. In many cases we led the way internationally. We should continue to do more. With a rational "protocol" it is possible to protect the environment and significantly reduce harmful emissions without severely damaging the economy and decimating the manufacturing of a country such as the United States. The answer is to put state of the art environmental controls on all new sources and manufacturing sites, while placing aggressive yet achievable reduction goals on existing sites. The answer is to also invest in research and technology in order to come up with new product designs and environmental protection technology. This is a formula that has proven to work.

Americans should hold their heads up proud. No apologies are necessary.