This blog was written by Jennifer Rennicks, former Senior Director of Policy & Communications at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.
Guest Blog | November 10, 2011 | Climate ChangeEarlier today, the U.S. Senate solidly rejected an effort to place the recently finalized Cross-State Air Pollution Rule on ice.
By a vote of 56 to 41, Senators defeated a resolution offered by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul (R) that sought to block implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new Cross-State Air Pollution Rule. Starting on January 1, 2012, the rule will begin targeting soot and other forms of air pollution that blow across state lines.
Medical studies have long proven that exposure to soot and smog causes asthma, heart attacks, and premature death. The legislation defeated today was particularly dangerous because it would have prevented future efforts to implement a similar standard.
Cleaner air may still be coming to a state near you – esp. for those of us living in the Eastern half of the United States where there are higher levels of cross-state pollution – thanks to Sens. Alexander (R-TN), Hagan (D-NC) and Nelson (D-FL) who recognized that Sen. Paul’s legislation would recklessly endanger public health. We need to safeguard the public health protections offered by this and similar rules until all of our Southeastern communities breath clean air. Join our efforts!