[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 132 (Monday, September 28, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1843]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    ENCOURAGING ATTENTION TO CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS

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                          HON. JOHN E. ENSIGN

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 28, 1998

  Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw your attention to some 
important information that all members of Congress and governors will 
be receiving over the next couple of days. It relates to a critical 
environmental issue I have spoken about before--control of oxides of 
nitrogen (NOx) emissions that threaten human health, 
agriculture and our natural environment.
  Back in July, I told you about the RENOx 1998 conference 
being held in my home State. The purpose of this conference was to 
examine the consequences of NOx pollution and to recommend 
strategies for reducing the millions of tons of NOx produced 
each year by diesel trucks and buses and power generation boilers and 
furnaces.
  This week, The Gunnerman Foundation, the lead sponsor of RENOx 
1998, issued its report on the findings and recommendations of this 
international conference, which attracted some of the best minds from 
government, industry, academia and the scientific community to tackle 
the NOx issue. Collectively, this group broadened our public 
knowledge of the NOx issue and identified specific 
strategies for making meaningful reductions in this dangerous 
pollutant. I would encourage you to consider the group's 
recommendations. This information may serve very useful for us, as 
policy makers, to begin to address this environmental issue that 
affects everyone on this planet.
  Rudolf Gunnerman, the Chairman of The Gunnerman Foundation whom I 
have spoken about before as an environmental technology pioneer, would 
like to work with Members of Congress to develop solutions that quickly 
and comprehensively address NOx pollution. The urgency of 
this issue is obvious, because NOx is a danger not only in 
the lower atmosphere but is a precursor to ozone depletion in the upper 
atmosphere. It is important to address this problem before there are 
serious consequences.
  In that light, I hope that you will give this matter some serious 
thought and attention, so that we can begin to address this important 
issue after our fall recess.

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