The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

Illinois PIRG : Stop Bush Administration's Sweetheart Deal for Polluters

Dear Illinois PIRG supporter,

This Wednesday, the Senate Environment Committee is scheduled to vote on the ultimate Valentine's Day sweetheart deal for our nation's polluters, the Bush administration's so-called Clear Skies initiative.  The bill would dismantle the public health protections in the Clean Air Act by allowing the nation's oldest and dirtiest power plants to continue polluting at high levels for a longer period of time.

The good news is that this Tuesday and Wednesday, over 100 PIRG organizers and advocates from across the country will be in Washington, D.C. to meet with members of Congress and urge them to oppose this terrible bill.

The best way to show your support for clean air is for you to call your senators and urge them to oppose the Bush administration's bill to weaken the Clean Air Act.  While our advocates are meeting with your senators, you can back us up by making sure their phones are ringing off the hook on Tuesday and Wednesday with PIRG members opposed to the Bush administration's bill. Please forward this email on to your friends and family so they can help as well.

You can reach your senators by calling the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Just tell the operator which state you live in. You may need to call twice in order to reach both of your senators' offices. Here's a sample message you can leave:

"Hi, I'm calling to express my support for PIRG's work to clean up our air, protect our environment and public health. I'm especially concerned about the so-called "Clear Skies" Initiative, which will rollback the Clean Air Act and allow our dirtiest power plants to pollute at high levels for a longer period of time. I would like to urge the Senator to vote against S. 131. Thank you."

Then, let us know you called so we can keep track of the number of calls made. This is an important part of our work. To report your call, click on the link below or paste it into your web browser:
http://www.pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=9&id4=ES


Background

This legislative attempt to roll back the Clean Air Act is being considered in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and may reach the whole Senate soon.  The committee is currently expected to vote this week- perfect timing for delivering the ultimate sweetheart deal to our nation's polluters.

For over three decades, the Clean Air Act has worked to cut air emissions at the same time that the nation's economy has grown dramatically.  This bill, S. 131, on the other hand, will move the country backward by repealing and weakening provisions in the clean air act that govern most industries, limit toxic pollution, protect our national parks, set deadlines for achieving clean air in our cities, and give our local and state officials authority to protect local air quality.

Although this pollution plan did not get any steam when it was first unveiled in 2002, and again when it was reintroduced in Congress in 2003, it is on a fast track now.  Proponents hope to have the political support to take the legislation to the Senate floor for a vote in this month.  Constituent pressure is needed now to block this attempt to roll back the Clean Air Act. 

Members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee: James Inhofe (OK), John Warner (VA), Christopher Bond (MO), George Voinovich (OH), Lincoln Chafee (RI), Lisa Murkowski (AK), John Thune (SD), Jim DeMint (SC), Johnny Isakson (GA), David Vitter (LA), James Jeffords (VT), Max Baucus (MT), Joseph Lieberman (CT), Barbara Boxer (CA), Thomas Carper (DE), Hillary Clinton (NY), Frank Lautenberg (NJ), Barack Obama (IL)

Please act today to show that you support PIRG's work to clean our air, protect the environment and protect public health.

You can reach your senators by calling the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Just tell the operator which state you live in. You may need to call twice in order to reach both of your senators' offices. Here's a sample message you can leave:

"Hi, I'm calling to express my support for PIRG's work to clean up our air, protect our environment and public health. I'm especially concerned about the so-called "Clear Skies" Initiative, which will rollback the Clean Air Act and allow our dirtiest power plants to pollute at high levels for a longer period of time. I would like to urge the Senator to vote against S. 131. Thank you."

Then, let us know you called so we can keep track of the number of calls made. This is an important part of our work. To report your call, click on the link below or paste it into your web browser:
http://www.pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=9&id4=ES

Sincerely,

Rebecca D. Stanfield
Illinois PIRG Environmental Attorney
RebeccaS@illinoispirg.org
http://www.IllinoisPIRG.org

P.S.  Thanks again for your support.  Please feel free to share this e-mail with your family and friends.