Press Mention Asheville Citizen-Times November 7, 2003
SACE Referenced
Urging action to clean the South's very polluted air
In this mention
An editorial in the Asheville Citizen-Times urges Senator Elizabeth Dole to support federal multi-pollutant legislation to reduce air pollution from power plants in the Southeast. The piece highlights SACE's Great Smoky Mountains Clean Air Campaign, which gathered over 6,800 citizen action cards calling for clean air protections. The editorial emphasizes that air pollution threatens public health, tourism, and national parks in North Carolina.
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Full transcript
Urging action to clean the
South's very polluted air
Recently, U.S. PIRG released a new report showing power plants in North Carolina and the Southeast are still among the worst polluters in the country. Lethal Legacy underscores the urgent need for our senators to take action in reducing pollution, supporting national four-pollutant proposals and rejecting the president's "Clear Skies" plan. Unfortunately, the president's plan will not offer timely improvements in regional air quality, further undermining N.C.'s clean air progress.
Last week, Sen. Elizabeth Dole received more than 2,300 action cards asking her to support proactive federal multi-pollutant legislation to protect the Great Smoky Mountains. Throughout the summer, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, a regional clean air and energy advocacy group, gathered more than 6,800 citizen action cards for Sens. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), Dole (R-N.C.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) through its Great Smoky Mountains Clean Air Campaign. These constituent communications substantiate the urgency and importance of clean air for millions of Americans and our national parks, one of the main engines of tourism for our state.
With N.C.'s proactive state air policies, quality now depends on ensuring our neighbors are held to equal standards. Air pollution knows no boundaries. Sen. Dole needs to demonstrate clean-air leadership; our families' health and quality of life depend on her.
James Gooch,
Asheville
Gooch is the air coordinator for Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.