Protecting Clean Air for People and Wildlife
For over forty years, the Clean Air Act has been one of our nation's most effective and beneficial public health and environmental laws. Passed in Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support more than 3 decades ago, the law has allowed us to hold polluters accountable and successfully protect the health of millions of Americans—including our children, our seniors, and the most vulnerable among us—from dozens of air pollutants.
Cleaning up air pollution has also protected wildlife, habitats and our lakes and streams. But there is still much to do. Uncontrolled carbon pollution that causes climate change, toxic mercury emissions, and numerous other air toxins still pose a serious threat to people and wildlife—including many icons of America’s hunting and fishing heritage.
Clamping Down on Polluters
The National Wildlife Federation is pushing hard for EPA to take action to limit emissions from the biggest polluters, such as coal-fired power plants, and to create strong standards for new cars and trucks that will save drivers billions at the gas pump.
In conjunction with President Obama's climate plan, the EPA has began the process of issuing carbon pollution limits on existing and new power plants. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA has the authority to set limits on how much carbon a power plant can emit.
In September 2013, after hearing 2.5 million public comments, the EPA released it's standards for carbon emissions from new power plants, limiting new plants to between 1,000 and 1,100 lbs of carbon dioxide emission per megawatt-hour. The EPA is currently in the process of hearing public opinion and establishing limitations for existing power plants.
But powerful members of Congress, under the influence of polluters, are seeking to prevent EPA from addressing the public health and environmental impacts of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants. These Congressional proposals would let polluters off the hook, obstruct the EPA from saving lives, and further delay action to move the U.S. towards a cleaner energy future.
The National Wildlife Federation is fighting back against efforts to weaken the Clean Air Act, but we need your support to protect communities and wildlife.
For more information on NWF’s Campaign to Stop Carbon Pollution with the Clean Air Act, contact Felice Stadler at Stadler@nwf.org
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