Is the EPA out of control or just Stupid?

Both. They're stupid and they're out of control. It might have been a good idea, but it's gone bad. The regulations don't make sense even in a make believe world. I remember a long time ago when my husband was working in the oil field and the EPA made them dig trenches around every well site. Why? To contain any possible runover from the tanks. What it did? Let the oil soak into the ground near crops. What sense did that make? None. They've become a lot worse as time has gone by. Rules about things that don't exist, then collecting fees from companies because they can't comply with the rules? Isn't that grounds for being declared mentally incompetent?

Great find. I had to keep reminding myself I was reading an article from NY Times and not National Inquirer. I believe they must be both out of control and stupid. First off these penalties they pay should at least be going to fund alternative fuel technologies. But I'm pretty sure we can all correctly assume they'll be going to the EPA to create more nonsense. The EPA has literally become the green mob. The greatest crime syndicate ever. Not a single thing they have done on a large scale was worth a lick of salt other than to further funding for their operations. They use unfounded science to take peoples money. Let's not forget to note how the "successful" side where ethanol is being mixed into fuel is working out. Sure we use 10% less gas at the pump, but most cars have been shown to get an almost equal loss in miles per gallon... What have you accomplished with this? Less than nothing. At least having done nothing we could have kept food costs down. I could have just thrown corn in my gas tank and had better results. I can't give them credit for a single advancement. Wow they pushed for more efficient vehicles. No, the consumer market pushed for more efficient vehicles when fuel costs went up. If the EPA did anything few cars would be more fuel efficient than the minimum standard, but that is far from the case. To further it their strict emission standards may have reduced emissions, but yet again, all research has shown that it still reduces fuel efficiency. Actually now that I start contemplating this, maybe their controlled by the oil industry since everything they've done has actually been shown to decrease gas mileage. You now drive cleaner at the cost of more gas. Congratulations, you fuel consumption just increased to save the environment.

I will probably get slammed for saying this, but in my opinion not only is the EPA out of control, so is our government. If they would realize just how much laws like these drive the cost of living up, and therefore the damage that they do to an already weak economy, maybe things could be fixed....but then again I am not even sure they care. While I agree that the green technologies can and do produce jobs, if the plants can't afford to stay in operation, or create the needed products then how long will those jobs last? It would seem not long, thereby again damaging our economy and job market. We really need to get these fools under control, but I doubt that will happen any time soon.

I labeled them stupid as soon as they declared CO2 a pollutant. President Obama is letting them get away with way too much.

This was NOT "the government to extort more money from businesses and down the line the consumer", it was actually what the country needs. We need to find ways to power our own vehicles with what we have in this country. The law wouldn't have effected these oil companies if they actually up their bio plants up and running, instead of getting tax breaks and grants to do NOTHING!!! There are three bio plants in my area of the country, two small companies, and one BP plant. One of those closed because congress didn't extend that $1 per gallon credit. One has been running for 3 years and does VERY well. The third is a BP plant that has reportedly received millions in grants and government subsidizes along with tens of millions from BP and has produced much of anything. If the large oil companies would continued to spend money on these plants this wouldn't be an issue. But, they make the VAST majority of their money on oil why would you try to recreate that wheel? But, people like YOU Bob should want to the EPA to force big oil's feet to the flame. Our own national security is effected by the lack of interest in this technology. This also could eliminate farm subsidizes 100% because it drives the price for corn up, and even makes bad years for farms profitable. I am sure that it makes you happy to see farmers out there getting paid about the same amount of money for planting their crops as a farmer that sits on his but and does nothing. This will eliminate this. Now there are other ways to get ethanol, but the US refuses to deal with Cuba because of their leadership (yet, we deal with China, and we all know how great China has been when it comes to human rights? Remember Tiananmen Square?).