Council Asks Washington to Protect Air Quality Standards
For Immediate Release
March
26, 2019
Resolution
Urges Federal Government to Defend the Clean Air Act
[COLUMBUS – OH] Columbus City Council is asking the federal
government to protect our environment and defend the Clean Air Act.
Councilmember Emmanuel Remy presented resolution 0091X-2019 during the March
25, 2019, Council meeting urging the United States Environmental Protection
Agency to maintain the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) and the
regulation of coal and oil-burning power plants.
“In response to an EPA proposal to potentially reduce or
eliminate standards regarding mercury emissions and other airborne toxins, this
resolution urges the EPA to maintain standards at current levels,” said
Councilmember Remy.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is asking Congress to
eliminate 47 programs in fiscal year 2019 and deeply slash funding for EPA’s
core missions. The proposed 23% budget cut will mean more pollution and serious
threats to health.
“This resolution aims to increase public awareness of the
proposed rule change. Further, by passing this resolution we are stating to the
EPA that the City of Columbus cares about the health and wellbeing of our
residents and that any change in the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards that
increases pollution is not a change we support,” Remy continued.
Residents can comment on the Proposed Revised Mercury and Air
Toxics Standards on the EPA comment submission page. The comment period
for the proposed rule change ends on April 8, 2019.
According to the EPA website, the current limits have reduced
the release of mercury and other hazardous pollution created as a by-product of
coal- and oil-burning power plants into the environment by more than 90%. The
Ohio State University Chapter of Defend Our Future states, this reduction in
mercury emissions have resulted in 4,500 fewer cases of chronic bronchitis,
11,000 fewer cases of acute bronchitis and 220,000 fewer cases of respiratory
symptoms per year. The economic impact is remarkable with 850,000 fewer missed
workdays and $90 billion in benefits from improved national health.
Defend Our Future, a project of the Environmental Defense Fund
is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to empowering young people
of all political persuasions who are interested in advancing climate change and
clean energy solutions that grow our economy and protect the world for future generations.
For more information visit www.defendourfuture.org
“With the federal government asleep at the wheel, it is
essential that cities like Columbus rise up in defense of the public health and
reject the senseless rollback of standards that were designed to protect us.
This is our chance to make our voices heard and let the current administration
know that we will not sit idly by and allow coal and oil-burning power plants
dump hazardous pollutants and toxins into the air we breathe and the water we
drink,” said Alden Shepherd, a Defend Our Future intern at the Ohio State
University.
In 2011, the EPA established MATS with the intention to limit
the release of mercury and other hazardous pollution created as a by-product of
coal- and oil-burning power plants. Power plants are responsible for 50% of
mercury emissions, more than 50% of acid gas emissions and 25% of toxic metal
emissions in the United States. Coal-fired power plants emit 99% of mercury emissions
in the United States each year.
“This is about the safety of our families and the future of our
city, state, and country. Columbus City Council urges the US EPA to keep
Mercury and Air Toxics Standards at their current levels,” Remy concluded.
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