紐約州及其他11個州政府正對美國環保署(EPA)提出告訴,訴訟內容主要是針對EPA通過一個新的法規,否決民眾尋求他們社區有毒化學物相關資訊的權利。
美國環保署將允許幾千個公司有迴避資訊揭露給民眾的義務,這些資訊包括他們所使用、儲存、及釋放至環境中的化學物。EPA採用的方式是撤銷要求這些公司申報化學物的規定。
這個訴訟是在11月28日向紐約州聯邦法庭提出的,這個州政府的訴訟案是想要推翻這個作用被削弱的申報規定,並且重新還給民眾過去他們所擁有的資訊取得權。
聯邦法庭檢察長庫墨(Attorney General Cuomo)表示:「環保署的新規定掠奪紐約州民以及全國其他民眾對於他們自家後院有毒危害物質知的權利。我們與其他11個州聯合起來,將重新回復民眾獲得化學危害物資訊的權利,儘管布希政府盡全力試圖隱藏它們。」
其他加入紐約州政府訴訟行動的還有亞利桑納州、加州、康乃迪克州、伊利諾州、緬因州、麻薩諸塞州、明尼蘇達州、新罕布夏州、紐澤西州、賓夕凡尼亞州、及佛蒙特州。
申報規定的改變會影響環保署的「有毒物質釋放清冊(TRI)」計畫,這個清冊是民眾唯一可以獲取美國境內完整化學物使用、儲存、排放的資訊來源。在TRI的規範下,在美國的公司被要求對EPA及各州政府提供他們設備設址處與公共衛生及安全,以及環境緊密相關的資訊。這些資訊要包括有毒化學物存在該公司的種類及數量,以及排放到環境的有毒物質的量。
New York and 11 other states are suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, over new regulations denying the public access to information about toxic chemicals in their communities.
The EPA will allow thousands of companies to avoid disclosing information to the public about the toxic chemicals they use, store, and release into the environment by rolling back chemical reporting requirements.
Filed Wednesday in federal court in New York, the states' lawsuit seeks to overturn the weakened reporting requirements and provide the public with the access they had in the past.
"The EPA's new regulations rob New Yorkers - and people across the country - of their right to know about toxic dangers in their own backyards," said Attorney General Cuomo. "Along with 11 other states throughout the nation, we will restore the public's right to information about chemical hazards, despite the Bush administration's best attempts to hide it."
The other states or state agencies joining New York in the suit are - Arizona, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.
The changes to reporting requirements affect the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory, TRI, program, the only comprehensive, publicly-available database of toxic chemical use, storage, and release in the United States.
Under the TRI, companies are required to provide the EPA and the states in which the company's facilities are located with information critical to public health and safety, and the environment. This information includes the types and amounts of toxic chemicals stored at the company's facilities and the quantities they release into the environment.
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