Bush's Clear Skies Plan Bad for Parks
Administration's proposal to alter the Clean Air Act draws criticism.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Bush administration recently announced its intent to relax air pollution laws affecting 17,000 of the nation's oldest and dirtiest power plants, oil refineries, and other industries. The announcement sparked protest from environmental advocates and lawmakers who consider the plan a concession to big industry that would harm parks and people.
The Environmental Protection Agency in June announced new rules that would weaken the current New Source Review laws requiring industry to install up-to-date pollution controls when expansion or repairs increase pollution, with provisions to protect parks and wilderness. The program offset a loophole in Clean Air Act amendments that exempted existing industry from following the new requirements.
Park and public health advocates view the Bush administration action as the worst attack on the Clean Air Act in the law's 32-year history.
"The proposed rollback of the Clean Air Act would result in more pollution in America's parks and communities," said Joy Oakes, director of NPCA's Clean Air for Parks and People Campaign. "The administration is taking care of big polluters, not America's national parks."
The announcement followed years of industry lobbying. Industry has long complained that New Source Review was cumbersome and bad for production. Park advocates, however, view the action as another threat to the already dangerous levels of air pollution in the parks. The EPA is likely to face a court challenge to the changes, analysts say.
Despite the protection promised to parks in the Clean Air Act, things have been getting worse at many national parks over the last decade, park advocates say.
For example: summer days in Great Smoky Mountains National Park often have higher levels of smog than those in a major city; global climate change is melting glaciers at Glacier National Park; and mercury deposition threatens ecosystems at Everglades, Big Bend, and Acadia national parks.
| The Bush administration's Clear Skies Initiative (CSI), which would set pollution caps for nitrogen oxide, mercury, and sulfur dioxide, was introduced as legislation in July. Utilities could buy credits from other utilities if they fail to meet the caps. |
| To support clean air in parks, write to your members of Congress and ask them to support the Clean Power Act, not the Clear Skies Initiative. | | |
Park advocates have strongly opposed that plan, however, stating that CSI doesn't go far enough, fast enough.
"The Clear Skies Initiative creates a smokescreen for the rollbacks of the Clean Air Act," said Don Barger, NPCA's Southeast regional director.
"While the science and regulation of air pollution can be complex, one thing is simple: We must do more, not less, to protect the parks and people from air pollution. This administration is going in the wrong direction."
Another piece of legislation introduced in the Senate, the Clean Power Act, and a House companion bill would require deeper cuts in emissions of the three pollutants included in Bush's plan, in less time. Unlike Bush's plan, the Clean Power Act also would cut carbon dioxide emissions, which can have a tremendous impact on parks through global climate change.
In June, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted to adopt the Clean Power Act. NPCA called the bill "an essential step to protect America's parks and people."
