January 26, 2005 — By Devlin Barrett, Associated Press
WASHINGTON — New York Gov. George Pataki and California Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger are pressing Congress to protect key parts of the
Clean Air Act as lawmakers and the Bush administration seek to change
the law.
The two moderate Republicans on Tuesday urged senators considering
updating the act not to reduce the powers states have now to enforce
environmental regulations or create tougher state regulations.
The governors, who both place great emphasis on their environmental
initiatives, wrote to members of the Senate Environment and Public
Works Committee, which will hold a hearing Wednesday to consider
changes to the Clean Air Act.
Schwarzenegger and Pataki urged lawmakers to preserve the parts
of the law allowing states like New York to file lawsuits against
out-of-state power plants, or impose pollution controls tougher
than federal standards.
The letter reflects ongoing tensions between Washington officials
looking to update environmental laws and state capitals worried
they will lose some of their enforcement powers.
"One of the cornerstones of the Act is that states do the
majority of the work to carry out its mandates," the governors
wrote. "The right of individual states to set policy with respect
to the health and welfare of their citizens is a fundamental tenet
in which we both strongly believe."
The Bush administration is planning an aggressive effort to build
support for his pollution-cutting plan. On Monday, Sen. James Inhofe,
R-Okla., who chairs the environment committee, offered a version
of Bush's "Clear Skies" initiative.
Inhofe agrees with the principles laid out by Schwarzenegger and
Pataki, said committee spokesman Matt Dempsy, who added that the
senator's bill contains "many provisions which reaffirm and
support the ability of states to control sources and institute programs
within their states which are more stringent than required under
federal law."
James Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental
Quality, said Clear Skies is consistent with the goals expressed
by the governors.
"This is a more powerful tool for enforcing the law than the
one we currently have," Connaughton said.
The administration touts Clear Skies and another proposal, the
Clean Air Interstate Rule, as important tools which would reduce
nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide by 70 percent, taking tons of
pollution out of the air.
Environmentalists critical of the administration charge the initiative
will significantly weaken parts of the Clean Air Act, including
sections that allow states to sue power plants and craft tougher
limits on emissions.
Clear Skies "leaves states high and dry and leaves the public
breathing unhealthy air, with power plants continuing to pollute
for two more decades," said John Walke, director of clean air
programs for the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Source: Associated Press
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