Groups Urge Senate to Quickly Pass Resolution and Await the Governor’s
Signature
As the new home of RIPIRG's environmental work, Environment Rhode Island can be contacted regarding this news release.
Providence, RI.—The
Rhode Island House of Representatives on March 27, 2003 came out strongly supporting clean
air and public health by passing a resolution condemning the rollbacks of the
Clean Air Act. The resolution, 5201, was sponsored by Rep. Peter Ginaitt who
took a strong stand on the floor supporting swift passage of the resolution.
The resolution passed late last week unanimously out of the House Health, Education
and Welfare Committee. Environmental and public health groups from across the
state came out in support of the resolution.
"The passage of this
resolution is a historic and symbolic step towards cleaner air," stated
Kate Canada, advocate for RIPIRG. "The House of Representatives has recognized
how important our national clean air laws are here in Rhode Island," continued
Canada.
The resolution specifically
calls on the Bush administration to stop rollbacks to the New Source Review
provision of the Clean Air Act. This provision is used when older plants make
major modifications to their facilities, which then requires them to clean up.
It is the one portion of the Clean Air Act that deals with cleaning up grandfathered
dinosaurs that are still belching out power and polluting the air up to 10 times
more than modern facilities.
"The EPA's changes
to the Clean Air Act will mean that the law-breaking dirty polluting power plants
will now be given a free pass to put out more pollution that causes soot, smog
and global warming and contaminates our fish. It will be a lot more difficult
to clean up this pollution than it would be to prevent it," said Sheila
Dormody, Rhode Island director of Clean Water Action. "We are grateful
to Rep. Peter Ginaitt for taking the lead in showing that Rhode Islanders do
not approve of the EPA's irresponsible actions."
The resolution also urges
our Rhode Island Congressional Delegation to take a strong stand in supporting
meaningful power plant legislation to clean up the four main pollutants: nitrogen
oxides, sulfur dioxides, mercury and carbon dioxide and to oppose the Clear
Skies Initiative, introduced in Congress and created by President Bush. The
President’s plan would allow for a 520 percent increase of mercury emissions
or 21 more tons of mercury per year in the next fifteen years. Currently, 60,000
U.S. children per year are born at risk for birth defects because of exposure
to mercury. Sulfur dioxide, which causes smog and triggers 1,600 asthma attacks
per year would see a 225 percent increase in emissions under the proposal. Nitrogen
oxides, the pollutants responsible for 88 premature deaths each year in Rhode
Island, would be increased by 168 percent.
"The Bush administration
is allowing polluting companies to benefit at the expense of public health and
safety. But we can do better; our family's health and safety is too valuable
to trade for corporate profits." stated Alicia Karpick, director of the
Sierra Club Rhode Island Chapter.
"This resolution sends
a strong message to the President, the EPA and Congress that Rhode Island will
not stand for increases in pollution from power plants," stated Canada.
"We urge the Senate, and the Governor to act quickly to send this resolution
to Washington and to stand up in support of Clean Air."
