For Immediate Release    CONTACT:    Amber Hard
February 27, 2003        515-314-4273 (cell)

Senators Grassley and Harkin Called to Stand Up For Clean Air,
Oppose New Bush Air Pollution Plan Introduced in Congress
Plan will increase mercury pollution, comes just days after
EPA report showed threat to children rising

Clean air and public health advocates today called on Iowa’s Senators
Grassley and Harkin 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 Amber Hard, Advocate for
Iowa PIRG.

“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,” Erin Jordahl of the Iowa Chapter of the
Sierra Club said.  “Senators Grassley and Harkin need to stand up and
tell them that’s unacceptable.”

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% increase in the
smog-forming pollution that cause asthma attacks, and a 50% 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.

For a more complete analysis of the impacts of the Bush plan, please
see the attached fact sheet.

“Women of child-bearing age, and all Iowa parents, have good reasons
to be concerned about the emissions from these oldest and dirtiest
power plants,” Hard said.  “Iowa Senators need to let Washington know
the last thing Iowans want is more pollution in the air.
Furthermore, recent polls show that Iowans support developing more of
our energy from clean, renewable power sources.  The Bush
Administration energy policies lead us in the wrong direction.”

According to a study by EPA’s own consultants, Abt Associates,
pollution from these grandfathered power plants currently shortens
the lives of almost 300 Iowans each year.  These same plants emit
pollution that triggers almost 5500 asthma attacks in Iowa every
year, many of which occur in children. 

This bill was introduced as the chorus of state Attorneys General are
opposing the Bush Administration's air pollution policies continues
to grow.  At the end of January Pennsylvania became the 10th 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.  Iowa PIRG and the Sierra Club are
urging Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller to join before the March 3
deadline.

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Erin E. Jordahl
Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
Des Moines, IA 50310
515-277-8868
[log in to unmask]
www.iowa.sierraclub.org