Joint Economic Committee letterhead document, June 2002

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’ recorded. Less than one percent of the pollutants were released into the water or land. For these reasons, Western Queens has been dubbed ‘Asthma Alley’ for its high incidence of asthma among children and families due, among other things, to high levels of sulfur, nitrates and other particulate matter from power plants in the area.

These rule changes will have a measurable, negative impact on the lives of New Yorkers and all Americans. Air pollution from power plants is known to trigger asthma attacks, reduces lung capacity, and can lead to premature death. Ozone-smog caused over 510,00 asthma attacks and more than 12,300 emergency room visits during the summer of 1997. Fine particulate matter from power plants caused 1,800 New Yorkers and 30,000 people nationwide to die prematurely each year.

Several companies in Queens are already attempting to exploit a loophole that enables them to build new plants next to the super-polluting, old plants, rather than replacing them or upgrading pollution control technologies. A further slackening of the Clean Air Act’s NSR regulation could enable these dirty plants to continue emitting toxins into our air in peipetuity.

I urge you to maintain EPA’s traditional commitment to enforcing our nation’s air quality standards and refrain from weakening the New Source Review provisions of the Clean Air Act For our health and our children’s health, I urge you to maintain the strongest possible regulations requiring old power plants and refineries to use modern technology when they are significantly modified.

Sincerely,

( I ! CAROLYN B. MALONE^ Member of Congress

cc: Governor George E. Pataki Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg

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