Writer says letter writers missed point

In this mention

Stephen A. Smith, Executive Director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, responds to criticism of his earlier letter regarding Senator Bill Frist's inaction on air pollution affecting Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Smith argues that Frist has failed to provide leadership on the park's primary threat—poor air quality from power plant emissions—and calls on the Senator to support multi-pollutant legislation being developed to reduce emissions.

standing up and challenging the large financial interests of the industries that are responsible for the air pollution that blocks our views, poisons our air, and fouls our mountain streams requires real leadership
Stephen A. Smith

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Writer says letter
writers missed point

Dear Editor:

I want to respond to the letter
to the editor from two associates
of Friends of the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, chiding
me for pointing out Senator Bill
Frist's failure to act on air pollu-
tion. Whether the response was
encouraged by the Senator's
office or motivated to gain favor
with his office, the letter simply
misses the point. Their defense of
the Senator focuses on his sup-
port of other issues, but not the
most important problem affecting
the great Smoky Mountains
National Park - air pollution.

Securing money for the park is
part of every Tennessee Senator's
job, and visiting the Smokies is
something many Tennessee citi-
zens do without praise. However,
standing up and challenging the
large financial interests of the
industries that are responsible
for the air pollution that blocks
our views, poisons our air, and
fouls our mountain streams
requires real leadership.

My statements, which I still
stand by, address Senator Frist's
failure to provide the leadership
we need in facing the No. 1
threat to the park, which is poor
air quality. For leaders of the
Friends' group to say he is doing
otherwise is a disservice to the
very park they are working to
help. Both Tennessee Senators
Frist and Thompson have been
educated on this issue and are
well aware of the health and
environmental impacts of air pol-
lution. I have applauded Senator
Thompson's public support of
strong clean air rules in his letter
to the President this spring.

My challenge to the Senator is to
step out from behind the Friends'
organization and show leadership
in confronting the air pollution
problems in the park and across
Tennessee. Let us allow the Doc-
tor/Senator's record on air pollu-
tion to stand on its own. Sadly for
the health of every Tennessean
and our mountain treasures, there
is not much to stand on.

Multi-pollutant legislation is
currently being developed by
both the Senate Environment and
Public Works committee and the
Bush Administration that could
bring substantial cuts in power
plant emissions that are the
source of the majority of our air
pollution problems. It is a disser-
vice to the people of Tennessee
and the park for Senator Frist
with his strong ties to the admin-
istration to remain "silent" on
this critical issue.

Respectfully,

Stephen A. Smith, DVM
Executive Director
Southern Alliance for
Clean Energy
P.O. Box 1842,
Knoxville, Tenn. 37901-1842