U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins upheld regulations for clean air last week by voting against the Congressional Review Act.
Mainers should be pleased our senators stood up for the health of Maine’s air, and urge the women to continue their support of reasonable environmental regulations.
The resolution, introduced by Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, would have blocked implementation of the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, which is designed to limit the spread of dangerous air pollutants across state lines, according to the American Lung Association in Maine.
The resolution was defeated, 41-56.
The intent of the rule is to reduce emissions from power plants in the coming years. By 2014, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule will reduce power plant sulfur dioxide emissions by 73 percent and nitrogen oxides emissions by 54 percent.
Environmental regulations have been under fire since Republicans took control of the U.S. House of Representatives, and we’re glad to see Snowe and Collins standing up for Maine residents in this instance, instead of maintaining party allegiance.
Dr. Andrew Filderman, a pulmonary disease specialist and board member of the American Lung Association in Maine, described Maine as “the tailpipe for toxic pollution produced by coal-fired power plants, factories, cars and trucks to the west and south” in a statement about the failed resolution. The pollution, according to the statement, is particularly dangerous to children, seniors and people with asthma, lung disease and heart disease. Inhaling soot and smog impacts health and drives up health care costs for everyone.
Due to the powerful jet stream, pollutants from other states are carried to Maine and have an impact on our air and natural resources. Instead of attacking environmental regulations, legislators should be strengthening these laws and creating further incentives for businesses to “go green.”
If we roll back all groundbreaking regulations created decades ago to ensure the future health of this country, our water, air and land will suffer the consequences through more pollution and further deterioration.
The EPA is also celebrating the 40th anniversary of the landmark Clean Air Act, which was established in 1970. The EPA projects that the Clean Air Act and its amendments will prevent more than 230,000 early deaths in 2020.
Adding to and expanding upon legislation like the Clean Air Act is paramount to continuing to preserve natural environments ”“ like much of the undeveloped areas of Maine ”“ as well as cutting back on health care costs for the bevy of pulmonary diseases experienced by Americans.
Filderman also said, “Healthy air is not a Republican issue or a Democratic issue, but it’s certainly a New England issue.”
We agree and hope Maine residents and Maine’s congressional delegation will continue to stand up for this state and keep our pristine coastline, forests and bodies of water healthy ”“ as well as the health of future generations of Mainers.
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Today’s editorial was written by City Editor Robyn Burnham on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via e-mail at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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