FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE:
March 16, 2012
Contacts:
Maggie Kao (Sierra Club) 202-675-2384
Tom Zolper (Chesapeake Bay Foundation) 443-482-2066
Katie Feeney (Clean Air Council) 215-567-4004 x112
Brian Smith (Earthjustice) 415-217-2014
Mandy Warner (EDF) 202-572-3247
Suzanne Struglinski (NRDC) 202-289-2387
Peter Harrison (Waterkeeper Alliance) 212-747-0622 x32
Ann Weeks (Conservation Law Foundation, Environment America, Izaak Walton
League of America, Natural Resources Council of Maine, Ohio Environmental
Council, and PennFuture) 617-359-4077
Environmental and Public Health Groups
Intervene in Industry Attacks on Life-saving Mercury Protections
Washington, D.C. – Sixteen national and state environmental, clean air and public health groups intervened today to defend the Environmental Protection Agency against industry lawsuits aimed at blocking landmark protections to clean up toxic mercury pollution, acid gases and other hazardous air toxics from dirty power plants.
The groups taking action include the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Lung Association, American Nurses Association, American Public Health Association, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Conservation Law Foundation, Environment America, Environmental Defense Fund, Izaak Walton League of America, Natural Resources Council of Maine, Natural Resources Defense Council, Ohio Environmental Council, PennFuture, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Sierra Club and Waterkeeper Alliance.
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that threatens the development of prenatal babies and young children. An estimated 400,000 children are born each year with dangerous mercury levels in their blood. The EPA’s protections would cut toxic mercury pollution, acid gases and other air toxics like arsenic, chromium, nickel and selenium from dirty power plants. The vast majority of Americans support this important cleanup of toxic pollution.
On February 16, polluter interest groups like the National Mining Association filed the first lawsuits to block long overdue action to clean up toxic mercury pollution, acid gases and other hazardous air toxics.
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