[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 120 (Tuesday, August 2, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1493]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   OPENING STATEMENT OF REP. DENNIS J. KUCINICH FOR SUBCOMMITTEE ON 
REGULATORY AFFAIRS, STIMULUS OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT SPENDING HEARING 
ON: ``LIGHTS OUT: HOW EPA REGULATIONS THREATEN AFFORDABLE POWER AND JOB 
                               CREATION''

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 2, 2011

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following. Good afternoon, 
and thank you to all the witnesses who are here today to testify about 
a critical issue facing America: protection of the clean air and clean 
water on which we depend every single day. Today, we will once again 
look at the critical role the Environmental Protection Agency plays in 
supporting these goals.
  Air toxics from coal-fired power plants cause or contribute to 
devastating health problems, ranging from asthma attacks to premature 
death from cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer. One air toxic, 
mercury, damages the developing brains of fetuses, infants and small 
children, robbing them of the opportunity to fully develop 
intellectually and physically. Coal burning emissions of sulfur oxides 
and nitrogen oxides help fuel our nation's asthma problem and can 
increase heart attacks.
  The burning of coal is also a major contributor to the environmental, 
national security, and economic crisis that is global climate change. 
The combustion of coal produces a tremendous amount of carbon dioxide, 
a greenhouse gas that contributes to increased trapping of heat in our 
atmosphere. In fact, coal accounts for roughly 20% of all greenhouse 
gas emissions. It would be difficult to underestimate the urgency of 
shutting down coal power plants immediately for this reason alone.
  These health and environmental consequences from toxic pollution are 
why the Environmental Protection Agency is developing tougher 
safeguards to protect Americans. One proposed rule on Mercury and Air 
Toxics alone would be estimated to save as many as 17,000 lives every 
year by 2015 and prevent up to 120,000 cases of childhood asthma.
  One of the witnesses here to testify today represents American 
Electric Power (AEP), which is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. AEP is 
also one of our nation's biggest polluters. Another one of Ohio's 
polluters, FirstEnergy Corporation, which owns Lake Shore Plant in 
Cleveland in my own district, is identified as the nation's sixth-most 
harmful plant for low-income communities and communities of color. 
Thanks in part to AEP and FirstEnergy, the State of Ohio has more coal-
fired generating capacity than any other state in the nation. Ohio's 
electric sector also has the ignominious honor of ranking FIRST in the 
amount of toxic air pollution it emitted in 2009, emitting more than 
44.5 million pounds of harmful chemicals, which accounted for 65% of 
the state's pollution and 12% of toxic pollution from all U.S. power 
plants. Ohio also ranked THIRD among all states in mercury air 
pollution from power plants with about 3,980 pounds emitted in 2009, 
which accounted for 76% of the state's mercury air pollution and 6% of 
U.S. electric sector pollution.
  AEP has lobbied against the Environmental Protection Agency's current 
efforts to regulate power plant pollution, and is pushing legislation 
to weaken and delay these regulations. I look forward to hearing from 
AEP today about how they can justify the tragic and destructive side 
effects that coal-fired power plants wreak upon us, as well as what 
steps they are taking to curb emissions of toxic air pollution in the 
United States.
  While it is consistent with the history of big business to kick and 
scream about having to minimize the social and environmental harms they 
cause, we should NOT underestimate the entrepreneurial ability of 
America's electric sector to invest, retrofit and construct clean 
energy generation, while maintaining system reliability. In fact, when 
they upgrade our nation's electric generation infrastructure to comply 
with new regulations, their capital investments will help drive 
economic growth and create jobs. According to a study prepared by the 
Political Economy Research Institute at the University of 
Massachusetts, two of the proposed EPA Regulations--the Clean Air 
Transport Rule, and the new Mercury and Air Toxics Standards--could 
stimulate the creation of more than 1.4 million jobs over the next five 
years in the pollution controls, engineering, and construction fields.
  Congress passed the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act because the 
American public demanded it. The American people demanded it because 
they don't like their children to inhale and drink and die from toxic 
compounds from which even the most diligent parent can't protect her 
child. Nothing about this equation has changed, and we must allow the 
Environmental Protection Agency to continue to fulfill its mandate to 
protect our water and air. I look forward to hearing from the 
Environmental Protection Agency today about how it continues to fulfill 
this promise to America.

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