The tiny outfits were in a much better position to skirt environmental controls and safety standards for products and workers.

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That, in turn, has led to a reduced cost of capital, making investments in new infrastructure and environmental controls less costly.

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He said the Aggregates Levy was a stealth tax introduced by Gordon Brown, but that the derogation scheme for Northern Ireland had introduced effective environmental controls to the quarry industry.

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Michael Lodge, general counsel for the International Seabed Authority, told me that the authority's aim was to encourage a new mining industry to exploit seabed minerals but within strict environmental controls.

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But the list needs to grow longer, as well, of those demanding greatly increased support for primary cancer research and stricter environmental controls on the toxic substances we eat and breathe.

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These two things, I think, done first can help us to avoid having to do cap and trade and other aspects with environmental controls that are going to have negative impacts on our economy.

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Mr Bullard thinks the photovoltaic business is learning that small, if not exactly beautiful, is easier to get past environmental controls and planning consents, and handier if you want to feed into existing grids.

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By that point Venezuela could also be a significant exporter of refined products like gasoline and jet fuel, as environmental controls and poor investment returns keep the U.S. refining industry from expanding to meet demand.

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Think thermostats, lighting controls, environmental sensors, and medical monitors.

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Beijing, for its part, has long maintained that its export controls are designed to minimize the environmental impact of rare earth mining, while meeting the country's surging domestic demand.

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Now the Environmental Protection Agency has cleared the way for stricter emission controls.

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