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Illinoisans tell EPA to clean up smog

At a public hearing in Chicago this September, dozens of Environment Illinois members joined elected officials and public health advocates to call on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen its proposed health standards for smog pollution.
 
“Ozone can harm even the healthiest lungs,” said Rebecca Stanfield of Environment Illinois. “EPA needs to significantly strengthen the national air quality standards for ozone so we can all breathe easier.” Stanfield was one of several witnesses who testified at the EPA hearing, along with Lt. Governor Pat Quinn and Cook County Commissioner Roberto Maldanado.
 
“The science is clear and the law is clear,” stated Joel Africk of Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago. “EPA should reject industry pressure to maintain the status quo and instead adopt the most protective ozone standard recommended by its scientific advisors.”

Clean energy breakthrough in Congress?

UPDATE:

Since posting this newsletter, Congress went on to approve an increase in the gas mileage standard. We applauded the move, and will continue to fight to increase the use of renewable energy through a federal renewable energy standard.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Environment Illinois applauded members of our state’s congressional delegation for their role in the Dec. 6 U.S. House vote on clean energy legislation. The bill would have required utilities to get 15 percent of their energy from clean, renewable sources and raised the gas mileage standards to 35 miles per gallon. We backed both steps, most notably by building support to make sure the 15 percent renewable energy standard stayed in the final bill.   

Unfortunately, in the face of veto threats from the White House and powerful opposition from oil and coal interests, the Senate pulled the plug on the renewable standard. At press time, the fate of the gas mileage provision, which would cut 424 million tons of global warming pollution by 2030, was uncertain. Along with our allies across the nation, we’ll keep fighting for both provisions until they become law.