Environmental Defense Welcomes Senate Action On Power Plant Pollution

(9 April 2003 — Washington) Environmental Defense today praised Senators Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Thomas Carper (D-DE) for introducing a bill that would cut and/or cap four major pollutants from power plants: sulfur dioxide (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), mercury and the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO₂).

“While we will be pressing Senators Chafee, Gregg and Carper for major changes before we can support this bill, it is a major step forward,” said Environmental Defense senior attorney Joseph Goffman.  “The bill’s aggressive sulfur dioxide reduction mandate and its mandatory cap on the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide prove that its sponsors are serious about protecting public health, acid-rain-sensitive ecosystems and Earth’s climate.”

“This bill sends a clear signal to the White House that the administration’s Clear Skies plan falls far short of the mark.  These three centrist politicians have shown a path toward winning the political battle,” said Elizabeth Thompson, Environmental Defense legislative director.

“By including a net cap on emissions of SO2, NOx and CO₂ - and embracing emissions trading - this bill has the potential to create a market for pollution clean up that will produce superior environmental results and real cost savings,” said Goffman.  “This bill stands in contrast to Clear Skies which while it has emissions trading in it does not use that tool to achieve superior environmental results. 

“The Chafee-Gregg-Carper bill remains a work in progress.  We will be working for significant changes in the bill’s language amending the Clean Air Act, a much more ambitious carbon dioxide emissions reduction target and legislative language specific enough to guarantee the environmental integrity of the carbon dioxide emissions credit trading system,” said Thompson.