US Public Interest Research Group



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		OCTOBER 29, 1998 3:49 PM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: US Public Interest Research Group Rebecca Stanfield, or Liz Hitchcock 202-546-9707

		121 U.S. House Candidates Take The 'Clean Air Now' Pledge; Promise Support for Clean-Up of Dirty Power Plants

		WASHINGTON - October 29 - One hundred and twenty-one Congressional candidates took U.S. PIRG’s Clean Air Now pledge, promising to support legislation to reduce pollution from dirty power plants, invest in clean energy sources, and prevent ratepayer bailouts of failed fossil and nuclear power plants. U.S. PIRG began collecting pledge signatures in mid-September as part of its ongoing Clean Air Now campaign. “Dirty power plants are the largest industrial source of smog, climate change gases, toxic mercury and fine-particle sulfur emissions,” said Rebecca Stanfield, Clean Air Advocate for U.S. PIRG. “With tens of thousands of Americans sick or dying prematurely from air polltuion, it’s outrageous that these plants are still allowed to operate under standards from the 1970s. The candidates who took the Clean Air Now pledge will be the leaders in the next Congress in making the air safe to breathe,” said Stanfield. Among the candidates taking the Clean Air Now pledge were 50 incumbents and 71 challengers, 97 Democrats, 19 Republicans, 2 Greens and 2 who did not state a party affiliation. Each candidate was asked to support five measures to reduce power plant air pollution. The following are the measures and the number of candidates and incumbents checking off each measure: Set strict emission standards for carbon dioxide from power plants, consistent with stabilizing the world’s climate. Currently, there is no limit on the amount of carbon dioxide power plants can emit, even though they are the largest industrial source of this greenhouse gas. 92 candidates, 40 incumbents; Require all power plants, old and new, to meet the modern emission standards met by new plants today. Currently, old coal-burning power plants are allowed to emit as much as ten times the amount of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide emitted by new plants burning the same amount of fuel. 94 candidates, 42 incumbents; Set strict emission standards for mercury from power plants, consistent with protecting public health from the risk of neurological damage caused by exposure to mercury. Currently, there is no limit on the amount of toxic mercury power plants may emit, even though they are the largest industrial source of this pollutant. 95 candidates, 41 incumbents; Require increased investment in non-polluting energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, which can replace polluting power plants while saving money and creating jobs. 91 candidates, 44 incumbents; Stop efforts to charge consumers for bailing out failed fossil fuel and nuclear power plants. These bailouts slow the shift away from polluting energy sources toward a clean energy future, and unfairly burden consumers with the costs of the industry’s poor investment decisions. -- 88 candidates, 33 incumbents. This month, U.S. PIRG and the Clean Air Network released a report showing that over 5200 violations of the EPA’s new smog standards were recorded in 32 states and Washington, DC during the 1998 smog season. The electric power industry is responsible for one-third of the smog-causing nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution emitted in the U.S. In addition, electric power plants are responsible for two-thirds of the nations sulfur-dioxide pollution which causes soot and acid rain, one-third of the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions, which cause global warming, and one-third of toxic mercury emissions, which have contaminated the fish in 50,000 U.S. lakes and streams. “Cleaning up electric power plants is one of the most effective way to curb global warming,” said Katherine Silverthorne, U.S. PIRG’s Climate Change Attorney. “We will go back to these candidates when they take office, ask them to sponsor legislation that will fulfill their commitment, and work to get everyone in Congress to follow their lead,” said Silverthorne. Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) has introduced legislation which would implement all five measures included in the Clean Air Now pledge. In addition, separate bills have been introduced by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Senators Leahy (D-VT), Jeffords (D-VT) and Lieberman (D-CT), each of which would take steps to reduce pollution from power plants. ### U.S. PIRG is the national lobbying office of the State PIRGs, non-profit, non-partisan consumer and environmental watchdog groups active across the nation.