Stop the Bush/Cheney Toxic Two-Step

The Bush administration is reconsidering the New Source Review program under the Clean Air Act, an important public health protection aimed at reducing air pollution. Air pollution in the form of particulate matter is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. Don't allow the Bush administration to trade public health for corporate wealth.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Don't Trade Public Health for Corporate Wealth

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 401 M Street, SW Washington, DC 20460

Dear Administrator Whitman and EPA staff;

I urge you to maintain the New Source Review regulations requiring old power plants and refineries to meet modern pollution limits when they are modified.

Pollution from power plants and refineries causes asthma attacks, brain damage and an estimated 9,000 premature deaths per year.

80% of refineries are already out of compliance with the Clean Air Act. Enforcement is falling behind as our communities suffer. Rolling back the Clean Air Act means even more people will become ill and die from air pollution.

Law makers should not be law breakers. Don't let the nation's biggest polluters off the hook. Maintain strong new source review regulations and put public health over corporate wealth.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
July 23, 2001


Background Information

The Bush Administration's energy plan calls for reconsideration of an important public health protection aimed at reducing air pollution.

The program is called New Source Review and it is the heart and lungs of the Clean Air Act. It requires industrial facilities to reduce air pollution that causes asthma and other serious health problems by installing modern pollution equipment when making major modifications to plants.

New Source Review is a cornerstone of the Clean Air Act and has been successful in reducing toxic emissions, in some cases by more than 60,000 tons per year, per facility.

Air pollution in the form of particulate matter is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Smoking tobacco is the first. Asthma impacts one in four Americans and childhood asthma is now the leading cause of school absences.

Law makers should not be law breakers. Rolling back the Clean Air Act means even more people would get sick from air pollution in their communities.

Don't allow the Bush administration to trade public health for corporate wealth. Please email or fax the letter below to the Environmental Protection Agency. [Note: Comments will continue to be accepted after the official July 27th deadline.]