Environmental Group Supports President Bushs Clean Air Plan

The African American Environmentalist Association (AAEA) supports federal legislation, known as the Clear Skies Act, which will build on the progress already made in cleaning our air.

The Clean Air Act has resulted in significant progress in our nations air quality. Over the past decade, power plants alone have reduced emissions of sulfur dioxide by 40 percent and are on track to reduce nitrogen oxides by that much in 2004. According to AAEA President Norris McDonald, It is time for an overhaul of the program to reduce power plant emissions."

Under the Clean Air Act, the US Environmental Protection Agency is required to establish multiple rules directed at power plant emissions. This process usually results in numerous legal challenges, which only delays environmental improvements. Further, it leads to inefficient pollution control planning and higher costs, which ultimately lead to higher costs for consumers. The command and control New Source Review regulations have led to more litigation than scrubbers.

While we would like to get more emissions reductions more quickly, the reality is that many stricter proposals would be impossible to achieve. Clear Skies will require huge emissions reductions in sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury over the next 15 years without unnecessary delays and costs. Some groups say Clear Skies will gut the Clean Air Act, but AAEA is not alone in the energy community in recognizing that Clear Skies is a sure bet to getting cleaner air.