Bad air bills: S1392 and HR 2250
In 2011, bills to freeze EPA regulations could mean that children continue to be exposed to mercury. Read more about these bills.
On July 20, 2011, Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced a bill (S. 1392) that would delay the Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to strengthen air pollutant standards for boilers and incinerators. A similar bill is in the House (HR 2250).
If these bills pass, industries will be allowed more time to continue to pollute the air with mercury. Boilers and incinerators are the country's second larges source of hazardous mercury pollution.
If these bills fail, EPA can move ahead with new health protecting standards that are already ten years overdue.
Here's what the experts are saying in opposition to the "Regulatory Relief Act" :
EPA is against the bills. Administrator Lisa Jackson explains that many of the boilers that would be cleaned up with these standards are located near homes and schools. These standards would cut toxic mercury emissions in half. She also notes that the Clean Air Act does not place jobs in conflict with public health--and neither do the new standards.
EarthJustice is against the bills. The organization says that worries over biomass fuel and job loss from the new standards are unwarranted. In fact, benefits outweigh costs to the American economy if you consider the avoided death, disease and health costs from better air quality.
Rep. Bobby Rush from Illinois is against the bills. He says that the EPA pollution standards are ten years overdue, and that forward-thinking facilities who've already prepared to meet these standards see economic benefits.
Rep. Waxman from California is against the bills. He points out that delaying the EPA standards will undermine an approach that has worked well since 1990 to reduce toxic air pollution linked to cancer, birth defects and brain damage.
So: Who is in favor of the delaying the standards?
Plastic, chemical and forest product industries want to delay standards because, they claim, industry can't afford to clean up their boilers to meet the new standards.
