Source: National Parks and Conservation Association
Forwarded by Jack Eastman


CLEAN POWER UPDATE - MORE ACTION NEEDED!
http://www.npca.org/take_action/action_alerts/ On Tuesday, January 29, 2002
the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing on S.556,
the Clean Power Act of 2001 that aims to enforce the use of available
technologies to control nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and
mercury emissions from power plants.  These pollutants are choking national
parks like Great Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah and Big Bend.  The sickly
yellow haze is ruining incredible vistas, and endangering the health of
humans, plants, and wildlife.  All told, the hearing was fairly positive,
with witness agreeing that costs to clean dirty power plants will be lower
than anticipated, so it is imperative that you continue contacting your
Senators urging them to support S.556, the Clean Power Act of 2001.  This
bill is moving fast, and the committee has scheduled a mark-up for February
14, 2002, so your continued action is especially important at !
this time. TAKE ACTION! Please go to
http://www.npca.org/take_action/action_alerts/ and check the list of
co-sponsors.  If your Senator is not listed, please write to them, urging
their support of S.556; if your Senator is listed as a co-sponsor, please
edit your letter thanking them for supporting this important legislation and
encourage them to stand firm for Clean Power!  A sample letter and contact
information, along with a list of co-sponsors, is below for those preferring
this method - just be sure to let [log in to unmask] know you wrote.  For
more information please visit
http://www.npca.org/across_the_nation/visitor_experience/clear_air/ or
contact [log in to unmask]

CLEAN POWER UPDATE - MORE ACTION NEEDED:  Please check the list of
co-sponsors to see if your Senator supports clean power.  If they are not on
the list, please write and encourage their support; if your Senator is
already listed, please write to thank them and urge them to stand firm on
this very important issue.  CO-SPONSORS OF S.556: (CA) Barbara Boxer, (CA)
Dianne Feinstein, (CT) Christopher J. Dodd, (CT) Joseph I. Lieberman, (DE)
Thomas R. Carper, (DE) Joseph R. Biden, Jr., (ME) Susan M. Collins, (ME)
Olympia J. Snowe, (MA) Edward M. Kennedy, (MN) Paul D. Wellstone, (NJ) John
F. Kerry, (NJ) Jon Corzine,  (NY) Robert G. Torricelli, (NY) Hillary Rodham
Clinton, (NY) Charles E. Schumer, (RI) Lincoln D. Chafee,  (RI) Jack Reed,
(VT) Patrick J. Leahy, (WI) Russell D. Feingold.

The Honorable (Senator)
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator (Name):

I am writing to you because I care deeply about our national parks, and the
air we breathe and I strongly encourage your co-sponsorship of S. 556, the
"Clean Power Act of 2001." Should you already be a co-sponsor, I would like
to take this opportunity to say thank you.

S. 556 will require polluting power plants to reduce emissions of nitrogen
oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and mercury, in a manner which is
fair, cost efficient and technically feasible. The Clean Power Act of 2001
is the appropriate vehicle for this important debate as it contains all of
the elements significant to it. For instance, the bill's "birthday
provision", which phases out the grandfathering of older dirtier coal-fired
plants, is critical to the clean-up of Class 1 Areas like Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, the nation's most visited national park. This park
has recorded the highest level of nitrogen deposition of any monitored site
(urban or rural) in North America. Scenic views that historically stretched
for 93 miles (65 miles in the summer) have been reduced to 25 miles (15
miles in the summer). Researchers have documented that at least 30 different
species of plants are suffering foliar damage from ground-level ozone; an
additional 60 species exhibi!
t the same symptoms. If our national parks are to be saved from this
assault, the levels of reductions specified in S. 556 will be necessary.

The Clean Power Act (S.556) would benefit all our national parks as well as
the welfare of our communities. Co-sponsorship of this critical legislation
is certainly the right thing to do for our national parks and our
neighborhoods.

Thank you for considering my views. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,