How Long Before The Dirty Air Coalition In Wisconsin Goes On The Attack?

I expect to hear Walker and GOP legislators raise holy hell about it, and the Club For Growth to roll out a news release with all the its anti-Obama, End-Of-The-World cliches, but final federal Clean Air rules announced Thursday by the US Environmental Protection Agency - - long in the making - - are a real plus for Wisconsin and the other states covered.

[8:45 AM Update: I asked "How long...," and I can report that AM 620 WTMJ talker Charlie Sykes has been in full rant against the Obama "regime" about this since the beginning of his show Friday morning.]

The air pollutants coming under stronger regulation from coal burned at electric power plants cause serious personal, economic and environmental problems down wind and down stream.

They increase disease, suffering, health care costs, lost wages, and diminished recreational spending.

In short, the regs will save lives.

Knowing they were in preparation, far-sighted, denial-free utility executives and public officials have been upgrading technologies, and adding conservation and alternative energy sources, to minimize the negative effects of fossil-fuel combustion.

Walker & Co., so far, have shown no such inclination.

He's blocked wind energy expansion, cut back state energy conservation programs and canceled the conversion of the UW's Charter St. plant in Madison from coal to biomass (opting for natural gas) - -  so expect Republicans, their legislative caucuses and the echo chambers on talk radio and especially at Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce to rail against the rules and the Fedrl Guvmint for partisan and ideological purposes.

The WMC has opposed previous clean air initiatives, with its point person, Pat Stevens now a Walker appointee at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources managing clean air enforcement.

So look for Walker and his people to go on the attack, even though this particular expansion of the Clean Air Act and outcome dates to the Bush era and 2005.

It has worked its way through the courts, and is now settled, setting the stage for cleaner air and advancing public interest law - - efforts that began with Gaylord Nelson and, yes, Richard Nixon.

And which Walker can grouse about, but can't screw up.