Congressional Members Urge EPA To Keep Air Pollution Rule

Date: January 24, 2002

Source: News Room

More than 50 members of Congress late last week urged the Environmental Protection Agency not to bow to pressure from US utilities for weaker air pollution standards. In a letter to EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman, the 45 Democrats, 7 Republicans and 1 Independent said the agency should maintain a rule requiring aging coal-fired power plants to install air pollution equipment when a plant is expanded or refurbished. Northeastern states are especially concerned about the air pollution rule because most of the power plants affected are located in the Midwest and their emissions are blown across state lines by prevailing winds. The EPA has been working on an overhaul of the Clean Air Act's so-called ``new source review'' rules, which were strictly enforced by the Clinton administration. The rules exempted electric power plants, oil refineries and other industrial plants built before 1977 from installing expensive air pollution equipment unless they made significant modifications or repairs to the facilities. The industry and the Bush administration claim the regulations prevent more refineries and power plants from being built or expanded, which in turn reduces available energy supplies.

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