Legislation Would Allow Polluters to Avoid Modernization and Continue Clouding the Sky, Fouling the Air
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PRESS RELEASE
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | |
| Date: | September 20, 2012 |
| Contact: | Mark Wenzler, Vice President, Climate & Air Quality Programs, National Parks Conservation Association, (o) 202-454-3335, (c) 202-255-9013, mwenzler@npca.org Jeff Billington, Senior Media Relations Manager, National Parks Conservation Association, 202-419-3717, jbillington@npca.org |
Legislation Would Allow Polluters to Avoid Modernization and Continue Clouding the Sky, Fouling the Air
Berg Amendment Would Prevent EPA from Enforcing Cleanup Requirements for Many of the Nation’s Most Antiquated and Highly Polluting Coal-fired Power Plants
STATEMENT BY: Mark Wenzler, Vice President, Climate & Air Quality Programs
WASHINGTON — The “Regional Haze Regulatory Relief” amendment introduced by Rep. Rick Berg (R-ND) to the “Stop the War on Coal Act” (H.R. 3409), which is expected to come up for a vote before the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday, would undermine the Congressionally-mandated obligation to protect America’s national parks and wilderness areas from harmful haze pollution.
“By preventing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from correcting legally-deficient state haze cleanup plans, the Berg amendment would ensure hazier skies for many years to come at America’s most treasured national parks and wilderness areas. By allowing states to adopt inferior pollution controls on antiquated coal-fired power plants – or no controls at all – the Berg amendment would result in dirtier air that causes more asthma attacks, lung disease, and early death.
“This amendment is bad for our national parks, it’s bad for our health and it is bad for local economies, which will suffer when visitors decide to go elsewhere to avoid smoggy views and dangerous toxins in the air. Congress should reject this dangerous amendment and allow the EPA to enforce the laws that protect our national parks and our lungs.”
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