Patrick Leahy: “the Administration finally released its National Energy Policy last month. As I noted at the time, I have serious…”

“the Administration finally released its National Energy Policy last month. As I noted at the time, I have serious concerns about several of its recommendations, not the least of which was its proposal to build 1,300 to 1,900 new electric power plants many of them burning relatively dirty fossil fuels, while, at same time, questioning the enforcement of clean air laws that protect the public from excess power plant emissions. Today, fossil fuel-fired power plants constitute the largest source of air pollution in the United States. Every year, they collectively emit approximately 2.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide, 13 million tons of acid rain-producing sulfur dioxide, 7 million tons of acid rain- and smog-producing nitrogen oxides, and 43 tons of highly toxic mercury. How could pollutants still be dumped into our atmosphere at this scale? One reason that cannot be ignored is that more than 75 percent of the fossil-fuel fired power plants in the United States are still 'grandfathered,' or exempt from modern Clean Air Act standards. When the Clean Air Act and its amendments were passed, Congress assumed that old, 1950's era power plants would be retired over time and replaced by newer, cleaner plants within 30 years. They were not. Unfortunately, utilities have kept these inefficient, pollution-prone power plants on line because they are inexpensive.…”