Political Quotes

“Thank you. Even if this amendment passes to improve the study of EPA rules, that will not address the underlying problems with this bill. Proponents of this bill imply that it simply requires EPA to study the cumulative impact of EPA rules. That is false. What began as a bill to study EPA rules has morphed into a bill to actually block the EPA rules. In fact, the bill blocks and indefinitely delays two of the most important air pollution rules in decades. First, the bill blocks EPA from finalizing a proposed rule to cut toxic air pollution from power plants, which are the most egregious and the largest source of toxic mercury pollution in our Nation. Mercury is dangerous in small amounts, and mercury can damage the developing brains of infants and children. The proposed rule would prevent more than 90 percent of the mercury in coal from being emitted into the air. The rule also would reduce fine particle emissions by more than a quarter, producing tremendous widespread health benefits. For each year this bill delays the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule, it will allow up to an additional 17,000 premature deaths, 120,000 cases of asthma, and 850,000 days when people miss work due to illness. But that's not all. The bill also blocks the EPA from implementing the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule to require 27 States to reduce power plant emissions that pollute the air in downwind States.…”