On the recordJune 12, 2012
I see the Senator from Texas is waiting so let me conclude in the next couple of minutes. We talked about clean coal and why that is important. Let me tell my colleagues what else is important. Based on the statistics, the health benefits are between $37 billion and $90 billion. That is an estimate for 2016. For every dollar we put in, we get up to $9 back in health benefits. The new rules could prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths, 4,700 heart attacks, 130,000 asthma attacks, 140,000 cases of respiratory symptoms, over 9,000 cases of bronchitis, 5,700 hospital emergency room visits, 540,000 missed work or sick days, and 3.2 million days when people must restrict their activities. Mercury, they say, causes brain damage in more than 315,000 children each year. Half of the U.S. manmade mercury comes from coal-fired powerplants. The new rules require removing 90 percent of that mercury. So back to the point of Senator Alexander. This approach provides certainty. It ensures grid reliability. It allows sufficient time for utilities to comply under this bad economy. It gives manufacturing and skilled labor jobs to U.S. companies and U.S. workers, and it also reduces health problems and costs associated with the coal industry right now. With that, I ask my colleagues to consider looking at the Alexander and Pryor approach. I would love to visit with any of my colleagues who are so inclined. With that, I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas.
