Environmental Defense Welcomes House Bill On Power Plant Pollution

(16 September 2003 — Washington) Environmental Defense today praised Representatives Charles Bass (R-NH), Jim Cooper (D-TN) and Jim Davis (D-FL) for introducing a bill that would cut and/or cap four major pollutants from power plants: sulfur dioxide (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), mercury and the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO₂).

“The introduction of this bill by moderates representing very different regions of the country demonstrates a major positive shift in the politics of climate change,” said Environmental Defense senior attorney Joseph Goffman.  “This bill sends a clear signal that the administration’s Clear Skies plan falls far short of the mark in every area.” 

“These three centrist politicians are demonstrating the same type of leadership on climate change that Senators McCain and Lieberman have in the Senate.  These Representatives and their counterparts in the Senate are showing a path toward doing what it takes to tackle climate change,” said Elizabeth Thompson, Environmental Defense legislative director.

“By including a net cap on emissions of mercury, SO2, NOx and CO₂ - and embracing emissions trading - this bill has the potential to create a market for pollution clean up that will produce superior environmental results and real cost savings,” said Goffman. 

The Bass-Cooper-Davis bill remains a work in progress.  Before Environmental Defense can support this bill, the group will be working for significant changes in the bill’s language amending the Clean Air Act, a much more ambitious carbon dioxide emissions reduction target, and legislative language that guarantees the environmental integrity of the carbon dioxide emissions credit trading system.