Bush's Earth Day Plans & a little background

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Sun Apr-17-05 08:47 AM
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Bush's Earth Day Plans & a little background

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031782181865&path=!localnews!environment&s=1037645509115

Bush will visit Smokies for Earth Day
President will help honor national park's volunteer program

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON

President Bush will mark Earth Day next week with a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the nation's most polluted park, the White House said yesterday.

Spokesman Taylor Gross said that Bush would visit Cades Cove on Friday to participate in a service project to honor the park's strong volunteer program, and then make remarks about Earth Day. Cades Cove is on the Tennessee side of the park, which straddles the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

"The president looks forward to highlighting the volunteer aspect of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and participating in the service project," Gross said.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/16/politics/16enviro.html?th=&emc=th&pagewanted=print&position=

April 16, 2005

Change to the Clean Air Act Is Built Into New Energy Bill
By MICHAEL JANOFSKY

WASHINGTON, April 15 - Deep in the energy bill that was approved by a House committee this week, under a section titled "Miscellaneous," is a brief provision that could have major consequences for communities struggling to clean up their dirty air.

If it becomes law, it would make one of the most significant changes to the Clean Air Act in 15 years, allowing communities whose air pollution comes from hundreds of miles away to delay meeting national air quality standards until their offending neighbors clean up their own air.

The provision could especially affect states like New York, which has some of the nation's dirtiest air, and other Northeastern states that have always had difficulty meeting federal standards for ozone, a leading cause of smog, because much of any state's pollution originates in states to the south and west.

Under the new provision, the "downwind" states would not be required to meet clean air standards until the "upwind" states that were contributing to the problem had done so. Currently, states can get more time but only if they agree to added cleanup measures.

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http://www.sierraclub.org/communities/2002report/north_carolina/

Communities at Risk

Asheville NC

Clean Air Progress Thwarted by Out-of-State Pollution

Asheville, North Carolina, has a history of clean air and magnificent vistas. But recent studies show that pollution from coal-burning power plants-mostly outside the state-is not only fouling the air but also contributing to respiratory and heart ailments and lung cancer among Asheville residents. Although North Carolina is taking steps to solve the problem, the Bush administration's lax policies will allow out-of-state pollution to thwart the state's efforts to clean up Asheville's air.

The major population center-and only real city-in far-western North Carolina, Asheville is nestled in a picturesque valley in the southern Appalachian mountains. Historically, people would visit for its clean air and scenic vistas. The air was so clean in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that people afflicted with tuberculosis came to Asheville to recuperate.(1) The Great Smoky Mountains, currently the country's most visited national park, is located a short distance west of the city.

Unfortunately, Asheville's air quality has taken a turn for the worse. In recent years, air pollution generated in neighboring states has inundated western North Carolina. The pollution has gotten so severe that it reduces average visibility in the Great Smoky Mountains by 80 percent during the summer months.(2)

The pollution is also causing illness in Asheville. Studies consistently demonstrate that air pollution is related to myriad health problems in the city, including respiratory and heart diseases, lung cancer, and possibly strokes.(3) Although the young and the elderly are most at risk, otherwise healthy people are not immune to the effects of air pollution. Dr. Clay Ballantine, a local physician specializing in internal medicine, concludes that air pollution is indeed causing health problems in Asheville. He notes that Asheville suffers from the highest incidence in the state of lung disease deaths from emphysema and pneumonia, while also having the lowest lung cancer death rates.(4)

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http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=anuVnVGs2QAI&refer=top_world_news

Bush in Radio Address Urges U.S. Congress to Pass Energy Bill

April 16 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush said Congress should move quickly to pass energy legislation that would allow oil drilling and production in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

``Families and small businesses across the country are feeling the pinch from rising gas prices,'' Bush said in his Saturday radio address to the nation. ``If you're trying to meet a family budget or a payroll, even a small change at the pump can have a big impact.''

``America's prosperity depends on reliable, affordable and secure sources of energy,'' Bush said.

The average price for regular gasoline is projected to soar past last year's all-time peak of $2.06 a gallon to hit $2.28 this summer, according to the U.S. Energy Department's Energy Information Administration. The U.S. Senate has passed an energy bill and it is now being prepared for debate in the House.

``In the coming days and weeks I'll talk more about what we need to do in Washington to make sure America has an energy policy that reflects the demands of a new century.'' Bush said. `` The first order of business is for Congress to pass an energy bill.''

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