Plan will increase mercury pollution, comes just days after EPA report showed
threat to children rising
As the new home of RIPIRG's environmental work, Environment Rhode Island can be contacted regarding this news release.
Providence, RI - Clean air
and public health advocates on February 27, 2003 called on Congress and the State of Rhode
Island to oppose the administration's "Clear Skies Initiative" air
pollution plan, which was introduced in Congress today. The plan deals with
pollution from the oldest and dirtiest "grandfathered" power plants.
"Just this week, the
administration finally released a report stating in no uncertain terms the growing
danger to children posed by power plant emissions of mercury. The study also
reaffirmed the explosion of asthma among our nation's youth," said Kate
Canada, RIPIRG Advocate.
"But today, just days
later, the administration is putting forward a plan that will let power plants
spew even more mercury, more of the pollution that causes asthma and death,
and an unlimited amount of global warming pollution," Canada said. "Congress
and the State of Rhode Island need to stand up and tell them that's unacceptable."
"The President's streamlining
will allow more pollution than current law allows," said Sheila Dormody,
Rhode Island director of Clean Water Action. "The administration's strategy
is a bait-and-switch scheme, claiming to clean up the air while weakening existing
safeguards."
According to an internal
U.S. EPA analysis made public last year, the Bush air pollution plan would have
weaker limits, over a longer timeframe, than just enforcing the Clean Air Act
currently on the books. These include:
- The Bush air pollution
plan will allow three times as much mercury pollution as enforcing the laws
on the books, and isn't fully implemented until 2018—a decade later than
current law.
- The Bush air pollution
plan allows for a 36 percent increase in the smog-forming pollution that cause
asthma attacks, and a 50 percent increase in the soot-forming pollution that
can cause death.
- Even though power plants
are the largest source of U.S. global warming pollution, responsible for 40
percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, the Bush air pollution plan does
not deal with the issue at all.
"Parents, children,
the elderly, anyone with asthma and for that matter all Rhode Islanders have
good reasons to be concerned about the mercury, smog and soot emissions from
these oldest and dirtiest power plants," Art Handy, Communications Director
of the American Lung Association of Rhode Island, said. "Rhode Island needs
to let Washington know the last thing we want is more pollution in the air."
According to a study by
EPA's own consultants, Abt Associates, pollution from these grandfathered power
plants currently shortens the lives of as many as 88 lives each year. These
same plants emit pollution that triggers 1,660 asthma attacks in Rhode Island
every year, many of which occur in children.
This bill was introduced
as the chorus of state Attorneys General, including Rhode Island Attorney General
Patrick Lynch, are opposing the Bush Administration's air pollution policies
continues to grow. At the end of January Pennsylvania became the tenth state
to challenge EPA's weakening changes to the New Source Review program, which
changes would allow increasing emissions from power plants, paper mills, refineries
and chemical plants across the nation. So far this week the Illinois and Delaware
have joined the lawsuits, as well as the District of Columbia, and more may
join before the March 3 deadline.
The Rhode Island House of
Representatives has introduced a resolution, sponsored by Rep. Peter Ginaitt
(D-Warwick), Rep. John Savage (R-East Providence/Barrington), Rep. Steve Costantino
(D-Providence), Rep. Art Handy (D-Cranston), and Rep. Raymond Gallison (D-Bristol)
that urges the U.S. Congress to stop the rollbacks of our clean air laws and
supports legislation that would truly reduce pollution from power plants. Senator
Reed has also become an original co-sponsor of the Clean Power Act, legislation
in the U.S. Senate that would significantly reduce smog, soot, mercury and global
warming pollution from power plants.
"We applaud the General
Assembly, Attorney General Lynch and Senator Reed for supporting true power
plants clean up legislation and for showing Rhode Island's support for clean
air," Canada concluded. "We urge Senator Chafee to become a co-sponsor
of the Clean Power Act again this year and promote the strongest cleanup of
power plants."
