ENVIRONMENTALISTS APPLAUD EPA ACTION ON WESTERN CLEAN AIR PROGRAM

(25 April, 2002 — Boulder, Colorado)  Environmental Defense and the Land and Water Fund of the Rockies strongly support the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed approval today of a ground-breaking clean air program to clear the haze air pollution in western national parks and wilderness areas.   The program would lower air pollution from western power plants and other large industrial sources through a cost-effective pollution abatement program.

“This ground-breaking program is the equivalent of a clean air bargain for the West,” said John Nielsen, Energy Project Director, Land and Water Fund of the Rockies.  “It protects scenic vistas by lowering western air pollution from power plants and other industrial sources in a highly cost-effective manner.” 

“EPA’s action today is a historic step that will help the West protect its revered national parks and wilderness areas from industrial air pollution,” said Vickie Patton, Senior Attorney, Rocky Mountain Office of Environmental Defense.  “This western clean air program reflects years of hard work by states, tribes, industry, and citizens from across the West.”

The program would establish an emissions cap on the sulfur dioxide pollution from western power plants and other industrial sources.  It will help curb the haze air pollution in western national parks and wilderness areas.  The emissions cap is based on lowering sulfur dioxide pollution by 85% from uncontrolled western power plants.  It was designed by the Western Regional Air Partnership, a cooperative air quality initiative of western states, tribes, EPA, and federal land managers.  

To become fully effective, the program must be approved by EPA, after opportunity for public comment.  The program must then be adopted by individual states as a pollution abatement strategy to mitigate haze air pollution.  The program provides a highly cost-effective approach for western states to address their air quality planning obligations under the EPA regional haze program established in 1999.   The states of Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming had a critical role in developing the program.