Good News/Bad News: All News on the Environment

Do you consider the environment part of your daily life? For many, "the environment" is an abstract, political concept that feels way too big to take on.

But the environment can be as simple as the air we breathe and the water we drink -- as basic as our national parks.

And if the environment is a priority for you, protecting it can be as simple as contacting your representatives.

National parks in danger

In August 2006, The National Parks Conservation Association warned Congress that emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, mercury, and carbon dioxide are threatening delicate landscapes, animal habitats, and the health of visitors. The report cited fossil-fuels and coal-fired power plants as the cause.

More specifically, most of the pollution comes from 3,200 electric utility plants across the United States, a majority of which are fueled by coal, the report said. It noted that major parks such as Great Smoky Mountain National Park on the North Carolina-Tennessee border and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia are downwind from large power plants.

Senators Thomas R. Carper, D-Delaware, and Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, have called for their bill, The Clean Air Planning Act, to be brought to the floor. The bill would help control the four pollutants brought up in the report.

Industry executives don’t think the Carper-Alexander bill is needed. Dan Riedinger, a spokesman for the Edison Electric Institute, said utility emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury are already being cut substantially under existing laws and regulations.

The Carper-Alexander plan has been blocked by strong opposition from industry officials and Republicans, who criticize the timetables for reducing emissions and the mandates to reduce carbon dioxide, which can produce a climate-changing greenhouse effect if present in high amounts.

No legislative action on the issue is expected before the end of the current congressional session, but the battle will almost certainly be renewed next year.

However, at the state level, some big changes are happening.

California sets the stage

On August 31, 2006, the California State Assembly passed the toughest emissions laws in the nation, a move that both challenges Washington and shows the nation that the environment is not necessarily a partisan issue.

Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger worked with California Democrats to craft and pass the legislation, which will reduce emissions by about 25 percent by the year 2020. Since California is the 12th largest producer of greenhouse gasses in the world, this legislation will make a difference.

Governor Schwarzenegger said that the legislation is meant to challenge the federal government as well as other states. Schwarzenegger says he is disappointed in other leaders’ ambivalence towards the greenhouse effect. Policy experts in Washington say that the California bill could have major impact on federal policy.

On the other hand, many California Republicans oppose the bill, saying the tough emissions laws will be hard on the state’s economy. Schwarzenegger explains that California is taking the lead in the development of the clean energy market. So the effect on the economy depends on whom you talk to.

To learn more about the environment, check out our radio show The Environment: Whose Responsibility?

What do you think?

Are curbing emissions a priority for you? What are the laws in your state? Are you worried about the effect of environmental regulations on the economy?

Your input matters

Your representatives in Congress DO care what you think. Especially now -- 2006 is an election year and many representatives will be looking to reconnect with their constituents. Let your congressmen and women know what you think! Give your senators a piece of your mind! To get to your reps, click here.

To explore our archive of past Environment Life Issue updates, click here.

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Article Posted on: 9/2/2006