The Locust Fork News and Journal say editorially that the Alabama Environmental Council is 100 percent right on the policy crisis now facing Alabama’s air pollution.

Regulatory agencies that are charged with protecting human health and the environment should show extra caution during this time of poor air quality, according to the Alabama Environmental Council, but instead, the Bush EPA and the Riley administration are proposing to approve a relaxation of an important Alabama air pollution regulation.

In a letter from Governor Riley to the Administrator of EPA, the Republican governor wrote: “On Tuesday, June 2, representatives of EPA Region 4 asked ADEM to reconsider additional changes to Alabama’s proposed SIP revision related to opacity… I urge you to finalize EPA’s proposed approval without delay.”

Contrary to claims by ADEM and the governor, the proposed rules are not more stringent and will allow significantly more particulate matter pollution to be released into the air we breathe every day, which puts my health, your health, and your children’s health at risk.

And the law is being revised because TVA, Alabama Power, and other permitted polluters asked ADEM to change the law to avoid litigation they are involved in with organizations such as the Alabama Environmental Council.

A freedom-of-information request uncovered a letter from ADEM Director Trey Glenn, Governor Riley, and the entire Alabama delegation in support of the proposed rollback.

What can you do?

Please send public comment to ADEM for the proposed rollback on opacity standards and plan to attend the Public Hearing set for August 6th. Written submissions and other inquires should be directed to: ADEM Hearing Officer, Office of General Counsel, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, P.O. Box 301463, Montgomery, AL 36130-1463 (street address: 1400 Coliseum Boulevard, Montgomery, AL 36110-2059) or by e-mail at Hearing.officer@adem.state.al.us

Contact Governor Riley. Send letters to: Governor Riley, State Capitol, 600 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36130

Phone calls: (334) 242-7100; Fax: (334) 353-0004. Email: http://governor.alabama.gov/contact.aspx

For more information, visit the Alabama Environmental Council online.

Tags: Air Pollution in Alabama

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 31st, 2008 at 5:26 pm and is filed under Black Warrior Riverkeeper. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.