>>> April 04, 2002

Who needs the environment?

It seems the Pentagon has yet another agenda that they’re lobbying Congress for. According to them, the money they spend following U.S. environmental laws could be better used, and so they are seeking exemption from the Clean Air Act. And the Clean Water Act. Also the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Noise Control Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Endangered Species Act. In return for these exemptions, the Pentagon promises to use the freed up cash to practice the art of war.

With the September 11 attacks still giving Congress a soft spot for matters of defence, environmental groups are concerned the Pentagon should have little trouble gaining the exemptions. Critics, meanwhile, fear the repercussions of a military free of concern for public health or the environment as a whole. The Defense Department estimates it spends about $4-billion (U.S.) annually on meeting environmental law standards—roughly one per cent of its budget. :

—Scott Saxon