This was written by Georgia Murray, Air Quality Scientist, Appalachian Mountain Club, New Hampshire:
When we tell the story of the wolf in sheep clothing to our kids, we are warning them that not everyone or everything is what it seems. This is a step away from innocence, and most parents wish we did not have to explain such life lessons. How do we explain when this type of deception is happening in Congress? We at least expect our politicians to be honest. Yet, a House committee recently passed a bill dressed up as something that could help reduce gas prices at the pump, the GAS act H.R. 4471. It is a harsh attack on the Clean Air Act. This bill is more of a Gutting Air Standards Protections (GASP) act, and could be harmful to our children.
Removing the sheep veil of H.R. 4471 we find the salivating wolf that would gobble up the following:
- Indefinite delay of modern motor vehicles air pollution standards (Tier III) needed to reduce smog, toxins, and soot formation.
- Indefinite delay of EPA’s Standards of Performance and Emissions Standards for Petroleum Refineries – two clean air standards relating to petroleum refineries that would limit carbon pollution and toxic air pollution.
- Indefinite delay of EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Ozone, that applies to all pollution sources across the nation to protect our health from dangerous smog pollution that can cause heart attacks, asthma attacks, and even death.
- Bars the EPA from using public health science to determine clean air standards for ambient ozone that are protective of human health.
Thankfully, NH Congressman Charlie Bass voted against passing this bill. We need more of our elected officials to step away from deceptive attacks on the Clean Air Act. The Senate is not free of wolves either. Senator Inhofe’s S.J. Res 37 would be devastating to the long overdue reduction of tons of toxic air pollution under the Clean Air Act (read more), yet supporters insist it is about saving jobs. In reality, it would delay EPA action to reduce mercury and other toxics. Let’s hold Congress to the standard of honesty, expose the wolves, and fight for cleaner air for our children’s future. Tell them we don’t want GASP and we don’t want S.J. Res 37!
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