The Environmental Protection Agency is in the final days of accepting public comments on whether to reduce harmful air pollution from America's power plants.
We think that cleaning up this smokestack pollution is a no-brainer. These new standards would reduce tens of thousands of premature deaths every year, prevent 1.9 million sick days and save our economy tens of billions of dollars.
We only have until Friday, October 8 to submit your comments - so please act now. Tell the EPA that you support their new "Transport Rule" proposal to reduce sulfur dioxide pollution by 71% and nitrogen oxide pollution by 52% below 2005 levels.
Subject: ATTENTION Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0491
Dear EPA:
I strongly support the proposed clean air plan to cut sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen from eastern smokestacks. And I urge the EPA to strengthen its standards to secure greater health and environmental benefits.
[Your personal comments will be added here.]
Your proposed rules to cut pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants would reduce power plant sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 71% from 2005 levels and nitrogen oxide (NOx) by 52% from 2005 levels.
EPA's plan to clean up this smokestack pollution would protect public health by avoiding:
14,000 to 36,000 premature deaths,
21,000 cases of acute bronchitis,
23,000 nonfatal heart attacks,
26,000 hospital and emergency room visits,
1.9 million days when people miss work or school,
240,000 cases of aggravated asthma, and
440,000 upper and lower respiratory symptoms.
And EPA's Rule would yield benefits of more than $120 to $290 billion annually in 2014, compared to the estimated annual costs of $2.8 billion.
I support these rules and urge the EPA to strengthen its standards even more to secure greater health and environmental benefits.
