Tell Governor
to take action for clean air
Editor, Asheville Global Report,
It’s important that you tell Governor Easley and Attorney General
Cooper -- today -- that North Carolina must join the nine northeastern
states who are suing the EPA over its decision to revise the New Source
Review (NSR) provision of the Clean Air Act. January 31 is the deadline
for states to intervene in this case. It’s critical because this
EPA action threatens to undermine the North Carolina Clean Smokestacks
Act.
Much of North Carolina’s air pollution is transported from other
states. For this reason the intent of the NC Clean Smokestacks Act is
to set an example for other states and the federal government to follow.
Together with similar laws, passed in several other states, pressure has
been mounting nation-wide for a clean-up of all grandfathered coal-burning
power plants and industrial facilities. The impetus for the public utilities
in North Carolina to negotiate the Clean Smokestacks Act was the EPA’s
lawsuits against public utilities in other states using the NSR provision.
That incentive has now been removed by this EPA decision. With the gutting
of NSR other states are unlikely to follow North Carolina’s example.
It is the clear intent of the NC Clean Smokestacks Act that the state
take actions such as entering into this multi-state lawsuit. Section 10
of S1078 reads: "It is the intent of the General Assembly that the
State use all available resources and means, including …litigation
to induce other states and entities,…to achieve reductions in emissions
of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) comparable to those…as
enacted by Section 1 of this act…"
It is the responsibility of the Governor and Attorney General to take
this action. It’s up to you to assert that you expect them to follow
through. Tell the Governor and Attorney General to join the nine northeastern
states in their suit against the EPA’s NSR decision.
The Honorable Governor Michael F. Easley
20301 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-0301
1-800-662-7952 valid in North Carolina only
(919)733-4240, or (919)733-5811.
Fax: (919)715-3175 or (919)733-2120
Email through the Governor’s webpage:
http://www.governor.state.nc.us/Contact.asp
NC Office of the Attorney General
North Carolina Department of Justice
P.O. Box 629
Raleigh, NC 27602-0629
Telephone: (919) 716-6400
Fax: (919) 716-6750
e-mail: agjus@mail.jus.state.nc.us
Sincerely,
Avram Friedman
Executive Director of the Canary Coalition
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QUOTE
OF THE WEEK
"We need to ask the questions: Why does America
have hundreds of billions to ruin the health and take the lives of innocent
people in Iraq but no money to provide health care for all Americans?
Why would America spend hundreds of billions to retire Saddam Hussein,
but no money to protect the retirement security of its own people? Why
does America have money to blow up bridges over the Euphrates River in
Iraq, but no money to build up bridges over the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland?"
--US Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, Swearing-In Ceremony, Jan. 5, 2003 in Cleveland,
Ohio
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