| WASHINGTON
- June 13 - The Environmental Protection Agency announced changes today to New
Source Review (NSR) provisions in the Clean Air Act relaxing air pollution controls
and allowing more pollution emissions that directly harm human health, according
to Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR).
"Children may be hit the hardest," said Susan West Marmagas, M.P.H.,
Director of the Environment & Health Program at PSR. "Pound for pound,
children breath more air than adults making them more susceptible to air pollution
that is released from power plants." EPA's new NSR provisions will make it
easier for utilities to upgrade and expand their coal-burning power plants, without
upgrading their pollution controls at the same time. "The Administration's
actions today are only one in a long line of actions that advance the use of fossil
fuels, increase the dependence on conventional power plants, and disregard the
negative effects of this strategy on public health," said Karen Hopfl-Harris,
Legislative Director of PSR.
"The Clean Air Act wasn't a cosmetic piece of legislation; people need
this protection," said Robert K. Musil, Ph.D., M.P.H., Executive Director
and CEO of PSR. "Air pollution contributes to thousands of cases of asthma,
respiratory illnesses, and even premature death each year. The Administration's
actions today represent a give-away to industry and fly in the face of protecting
public health."
This pollution emitted from power plants contaminates the air we breathe with
deadly consequences. Health professionals have repeatedly expressed concern over
the large number of individuals -- over 121 million -- who breathe and live in
areas with unhealthy air. From the aggravation of respiratory disease, like asthma,
to premature death, air pollution is claiming its toll on American lives. Even
though the Clean Air Act has been in effect for 30 years, it is estimated that
pollution from power plants shortens more than 30,000 lives annually. EPA's announcement
today will move us backward in the struggle to improve the health of Americans
nationwide.
Physicians for Social
Responsibility represents more than 22,000 physicians and health professionals
who are committed to a sustainable environment, nuclear disarmament and an end
to gun violence. They have published a series of reports profiling the health
threats of climate change in U.S. states from Maine to Washington. These reports
and other resources are available at http://www.psr.org.
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