Haudenosaunee Environmental News Report January 2001 page 2

Haudenosaunee Environmental News Report January 2001 Vol. 1 #5

The Clean Air Act: In the Spirit of the Law

by Barbara Gray (Kanatiiosh)

    Last Spring, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began to re-evaluate the Clean Air Act requirements concerning pollution controls for existing power plants. These requirements mandate that more stringent pollution controls be put into place when upgrades are made to an existing power plant.

    Currently things are beginning to heat up. Environmentalists, some Congressmen, and Attorneys representing the Northeast are extremely concerned about this development. These groups assert that they will sue the EPA to assure that the clean air standards for power plants, making modifications, are not relaxed.

    The Environmentalists fear that such relaxation of the standards will lead to more smog, increased acid rain, increased health ailments, and will simply make matters worse for the environment and people located in the Northeast.

    Pollution from power plants in the Midwest drift eastward and pollute the air and water of the northeastern states. Acid rain has caused numerous maples and spruce trees to die and has jeopardized trout fishing in the Adirondacks. Coal-burning plants emit sulfur dioxide, which chemically transform in the atmosphere prior to falling back to the earth as acid rain. Acid rain can change the pH of water making it unsuitable for fish and other aquatic life. It also weakens root systems and causes the natural protective waxy layer found on leaves to weaken; thus, making the tree more susceptible to diseases.

    Northeastern states and environmentalists are currently in litigation with "11 companies and 51 power plants, arguing they are not complying with Clean Air Act requirements." One should ponder how many of these power plants would be exempt under a relaxed standard and consider the possible negative impact to humans and the environment.   The Northeastern groups have vowed to take the issue to court if the standards are relaxed.

    Perhaps the law needs to be clarified. To be honest, the statute is not very clear as to what constitutes an upgrade on an existing plant to trigger the need to use more stringent pollution controls. This is a test for EPA. EPA has a chance to clarify the law and uphold the spirit of the Clean Air Act.   However, if EPA relaxes the standard, they will be allowing existing power plants to hide behind the skirts of the law at the expense of us all. Such an act will taint the true spirit of the CAA to prevent pollution and protect health and welfare. The environmental laws need to be strengthened not weakened.

Further Readings:

Bush Urged Not To Ease Emissions Rules

Clean Air Act 42 U.S.C.A. งง 7401 et. seq.

EPA's Clean Air Market Programs: Acid Rain

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