Protect the Clean Air Act

What's New

For over 30 years, the Clean Air Act has worked to improve and protect our air, but a single vote could roll back our clean air safeguards.

The Bush administration’s so-called Clear Skies Act would gut key components of the Clean Air Act, leaving Rhode Island with dirtier air and more public health problems.

Instead of gutting the Clean Air Act, we should be requiring polluters to use the best available pollution control technology to clean up their smokestacks.

How You Can Help

Contact your senators and urge them to protect public health by rejecting the Bush administration’s Clear Skies Bill.

Background

Each year, soot pollution from power plants shortens the lives of 63 Rhode Islanders, causes 8,442 lost work days, and triggers 1,456 asthma attacks. 

All of Rhode Island's lakes, rivers and coastline are under advisory for toxic mercury contamination, and pregnant women and children are warned not to eat any fish from these waters. These problems will worsen if the Bush administration's so-called "Clear Skies" Bill is passed. 

Several provisions in the "Clear Skies" Bill are directly harmful to Rhode Island and will negatively impact our economy, the public health of our citizens, and our environment. These include the following:

• Repealing the Clean Air Act's New Source Performance Standards, which require new plants to install state-of-the-art pollution controls:

Rhode Island is currently a serious non-attainment area for the one-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard. According to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, our state’s ability to achieve attainment with the federal air standards is contingent upon the full enforcement of the New Source Performance Standards as currently structured.

• Stripping states of their authority to take action against pollution that drifts in from upwind sources:

In Rhode Island, much of our air pollution is generated out-of-state by our neighbors. Prevailing winds bring pollution from coal-fired power plants in other New England states, and even as far as the Midwest. It is crucial that Rhode Island retains the ability to take action against states with dirty power plants. It is a critical tool for the Ocean State as it strives to makes its air clean and safe.

We can continue to stop the Bush administration's dirty air bill, but we need your help.