Act now to end carbon pollution
Tuesday, June 23 will be a deadline of sorts for those who would like to be heard raising their voices to oppose carbon pollution. (A form is available at the end of this posting for those who wish to respond or comment.)
On April 2, 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that six gases—carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride—were pollutants and that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should regulate them if it found they harmed public health and welfare. The EPA, in turn, released a finding this April that greenhouse gases and other forms of carbon pollution are a danger to America’s health and welfare.
The EPA cannot act upon this finding until it receives comments from the public, and the deadline for providing those comments is June 23—this Tuesday. You can be certain that those individuals and industries who feel that controlling carbon emissions is NOT a national priority have made their opinions known. Therefore, it is important for those who feel it WOULD be helpful for the EPA to regulate such pollution to make their feelings known.
The 2007 Supreme Court ruling came as a result of a suit brought by Massachusetts and other states and environmental groups against the EPA in an attempt to force the agency to use the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases and other forms of air pollution.
As a result of that ruling and based on its own studies, the agency declared that concentrations of the gases were at unprecedented levels as a result of human activity and that it was highly likely that those elevated levels were responsible for an increase in average temperatures and other climate changes.
Among the ill effects of rising atmospheric concentrations of the gases, the agency found, were increased drought, more heavy downpours and flooding, more frequent and intense heat waves and wildfires, a steeper rise in sea levels and harm to water resources, agriculture, wildlife and ecosystems.
The EPA postings regarding these decisions and their results can be found here.
If you would like to add your name to the list of those responding favorably to the EPA’s decision or comment on what you think should be its future actions, you can respond here:
Dear EPA Administrator and staff,
I would like to add my name to the list of those who urge you to take strong action in enforcing the Clean Air Act as I believe you have been instructed by the Supreme Court. Our country needs to begin reducing the pollution of our air, water and soil, as well as our bodies.
By reducing pollution of the air, you will be taking a major step in that direction, and I thank you.
Sincerely,
Note: All fields are required except for optional comments.
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