introductions/goals
- Archived: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 14:53:00 -0400 (EDT)
- Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 13:24:13 -0400 (EDT)
- From: Ellen Russak <erussak@aol.com>
- Subject: introductions/goals
- X-topic: Introductions/Goals
I am a member of the League of Women Voters - a nonpartisan,
multi-issue organization. The environment is one of our
concerns.
I have been active trying to pass a law in CT this session to
force the clean up 6 ancient power plants that are allowed to
spew pollution into the air because they do not have to meet CT's
clean air standards (grandfathering), and was frustrated in this
attempt by a veto by the governor.
The last day before the bill became law without his signature,
the governor cited a letter from the EPA that he stated showed
that cleaning up the power plants would cause power shortages
(studies have proven this is incorrect) and supporting pollution
credit trading that, in our case, does nothing to solve the
problem of CT's extremely high asthma rate and the fact that the
American Lung Assoc. has stated that 97% of CT's air is
considered unhealthy.
There certainly was no public input prior to the issuance of this
letter to the governor - nor did the stakeholders have an inkling
that these behind-the-scenes machinations were going on. The
governor, with the EPA's assistance, successfully thwarted the
will of the State Legislature and the majority of CT's citizens.
It does seem that the EPA does not always have the health of the
people and the earth as a priority or perhaps I need a reality
check - that's why I'm participating. I'm hoping this dialog
will give me a reason to change my rather cynical view of the EPA
and DEP. I would like to be able to believe they are really the
watch dogs they are purported
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