Clear The Air

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee defeated S. 131, which would have weakened the Clean Air Act. At a time when there is a consensus that air pollution has serious health and environmental impact, Bush has insisted on weakening this Act for corporate greed. Senators Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) and James Jeffords (I-VT) joined Democrats in voting against the bill. Clear The Air Jeffords said: "This legislation denies plain scientific evidence of human health damage from toxic air pollution and of global warming from greenhouse gas emissions." The EPA will announce the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) today which controls sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. "Clear Skies was a half-step forward and two steps backward," said Conrad Schneider, a spokesman for the environmental coalition Clear the Air. "The CAIR rule is just a half-step forward."