The Dutchess County Clean Air Petition

To:  Dutchess County Legislature

Eleven Reasons to Sign the Dutchess County Clean Air Petition:

1. The American Lung Association of New York State, Cancer Awareness Coalition, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Citizens Environmental Coalition, Environmental Advocates of New York, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Kids Against Pollution, NAACP, New York League of Conservation Voters, NYPIRG, Riverkeeper, and more than 120 other organizations across the state came together on November 30th in a joint public statement as New Yorkers for Clean Air, Clean Future, Clean Power and called on Albany to enact truly meaningful reductions in sulfur dioxide, mercury, and carbon dioxide emissions from power plants across the state (see "Press Releases" at EANY.org).

2. On December 27th the Poughkeepsie Journal echoed their call for New York to seriously address mercury pollution, suggesting much stricter regulations on mercury emissions from power plants (editorial reprinted below).

3. A March 2002 Gallup poll found that 78% of us worry personally about air pollution; a May 2004 Yale poll found that 84% of us want government to enact tougher pollution and emission standards on industry, according to the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (LCVEducation.org).

4. According to the Dutchess County Health Department, 329 times during 2002 Dutchess County residents were hospitalized for asthma, 365 times during 2002 Dutchess County residents were hospitalized for chronic bronchitis, and about 145 Dutchess County residents die every year from lung or bronchial cancer.

5. The American Lung Association of New York State gave our county an "F" in air quality for the fourth straight year in a row, and states that there are more than 29,000 people in our county with emphysema, asthma, or bronchitis-- 5770 children with asthma, 17,209 adults with asthma, 4800 people with chronic bronchitis, 1843 people with emphysema-- and 21,510 people with cardiovascular disease (ALANYS.org).

6. Millbrook's Institute for Ecosystem Studies reported last year that the ozone and smog levels here in our county are actually much worse than in New York City ["City Trees Outgrow Their Country Cousins" New York Times 7/10/03-- still online at www.charleston.net/stories/071003/wor_10trees.shtml].

7. Because of PM 2.5 pollution (particulate matter) from power plants in our area like the Danskammer and Roseton power plants in Newburgh, right here in Dutchess County, 16 people die every year (including two from lung cancer), 34 people have heart attacks, 396 people have asthma attacks (including 12 that end up having to go to the hospital), and 12 people have chronic bronchitis, according to Clean the Air in Washington (CleartheAir.org).

8. The coal-burning Danskammer power plant put 122 pounds of mercury into our air in 2002 (51 pounds more than in 1997), and there are are only three power plants in the state with higher recorded mercury emissions, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

9. The Danskammer plant put 2,564,063 tons of carbon dioxide into our air in 2002 (32,279 more than in 1997), and 12,120 tons of sulfur dioxide into our air in 2002 (892 more tons than in 1997), according to the NYSDEC.

10. The two Dynegy power plants in Newburgh, Danskammer and Roseton, have been fined more than $19,000 over the last two years by the DEC and have been in noncompliance with the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act every single quarter over the last two years, according to the EPA.

11. We all breathe.

Please sign on to this petition if you agree with this resolution below that County Legislator Joel Tyner submitted on December 15th for our County Legislature to vote on in January.

The resolution would push Albany to do the right thing and protect our air quality here; note-- the resolution has the exact same wording as the New Yorkers for Clean Air, Clean Future, Clean Power November 30th coalition press release.

Please contact the Dutchess County Legislature at 486-2100 or countylegislature@co.dutchess.ny.us to ask them to pass this resolution; call NYS Legislature at (877) 255-9417 and Congress at (800) 839-5276 as well [more info-- Real Majority Project: (845) 876-2488].

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DUTCHESS COUNTY RESIDENTS NEED CLEAN AIR

WHEREAS, the New Yorkers for Clean Air, Clean Future, Clean Power Coalition, including the American Lung Association of New York State, Cancer Awareness Coalition, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Citizens' Environmental Coalition, Environmental Advocates of New York, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Kids Against Pollution, NAACP, New York League of Conservation Voters, New York Public Interest Research Group, and Riverkeeper, and more than 120 other organizations across the state have endorsed the below recommendations and facts in a public statement on November 30th, and

WHEREAS, power plants are the state's largest industrial air polluters, belching out millions of tons of pollutants each year that cause particulate matter (soot), mercury poisoning and global warming; the old, outdated coal plants are in desperate need of cleanup and modernization, and

WHEREAS, power plant pollution puts the environment and public health in New York at risk; particulate matter from power plants causes over 1,200 premature deaths and 2,500 heart attacks a year, and

WHEREAS, "air emissions from power plants make people sick and cut short lives; to adequately reduce the dangerous health impacts of these plants, Governor Pataki must direct the Department of Environmental Conservation to cut sulfur emissions deeper and to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and mercury; failure to do so will continue to place the health of New Yorkers at risk," according to Peter Iwanowicz, Director of Environmental Health for the American Lung Association of New York State, and

WHEREAS, New York has the greatest number of asthmatic children living within 30 miles of a power plant in the nation, where health impacts are very likely to occur; according to a state-developed model, cutting sulfur dioxide from New York's power plants by 75% instead of 50% could save 30 additional lives and $115 million in health costs each year, and

WHEREAS, in March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that 630,000 babies are born every year exposed to enough mercury in utero to impair their ability to walk, talk and learn, and

WHEREAS, mercury pollution has contaminated 51 of the tested water bodies in New York, to the point where eating certain fish populations could impair the ability of children to walk, talk and learn; the mercury pollution from New York's power plants travels 50-500 miles, therefore probably falling in our waters, contaminating the fish, and

WHEREAS, global warming is projected to reduce sugar maple forests in New York by up to 70% in 2050, dramatically changing the character of New York's fall foliage and sugar maple farming, and

WHEREAS, according to a state commissioned study, a regional program allows New York's power plants to cap emissions of carbon dioxide at at least 31% below 1990 levels at no cost to consumers, and

WHEREAS, in February 2002, Governor Pataki promised to set in-state standards on power plants for mercury, a potent neurotoxin, and carbon dioxide, and the predominant pollutants that cause global warming, if the federal government failed to do so-- New York needs to be a leader; Massachusetts, New Jersey and Connecticut are already in the process of requiring deeper and more comprehensive air pollution reductions than New York, and

WHEREAS, in February 2002, Governor Pataki promised to set state standards for mercury and carbon dioxide from power plants if the federal government failed to do the job; in 2004, the DEC harshly criticized the EPA's weak proposal for power plant mercury, rightly calling it illegal and inadequate; no carbon dioxide emissions have even been proposed by the federal government either; clearly the state must step in and act now, and

WHEREAS, the best opportunity for action is now; only addressing two out of the four main air pollutants from power plants leaves the job half done and is more costly than addressing all four pollutants simultaneously; setting a strong standard now will drive a more stringent reduction of carbon dioxide in the regional global warming program being developed by northeastern states, making New York a leader; delayed pollution limits mean more illness, death, mercury poisoning and global warming, and therefore so be it

RESOLVED, that the Dutchess County Legislature recognizes that cleaning up New York's power plants will make a big difference in our health, hereby joins the New Yorkers for Clean Air, Clean Future, Clean Power Coalition, and requests that our state legislature and governor require power plants to do three things-- first, cut sulfur dioxide emissions by 75%, rather than the 50% called for in the acid rain rules because of the additional public health impacts and because it levels the "emissions playing field" between new and old power plants; second, reduce mercury pollution at each plant by 90% from current levels because there are no rules now and the federal proposal is grossly inadequate; third, establish a cap on carbon dioxide emissions at least 30% below power plants' 1990 levels to begin addressing global warming, and be it further

RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be sent to County Executive William M. Steinhaus, Governor George E. Pataki, Senators Stephen M. Saland and Vincent Leibell, Assemblymen Thomas Kirwan, Joel M. Miller, Patrick R. Manning, Willis H. Stephens Jr., and Kevin Cahill.

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Also see this joint press release October 18th from the American Lung Association of New York State, Environmental Advocates of New York State, New York Public Interest Group, and the Sierra Club:

"Groups Ask Governor to Stand Up To Big Energy and Stand Up For Kids Health"
www.eany.org/pressreleases/2004/101804.html

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"Advisories Won't Stop Polluters"
[December 27th Poughkeepsie Journal editorial]

"One by one, Northeastern states are doing what the federal government has failed to get right-- they're setting stringent limits on mercury emissions. Yet, despite a longstanding promise from Gov. George Pataki, New York has yet to do the same thing.

New Jersey recently enacted exactly the kind of law needed in the Empire State-- it is requiring power plants to cut their mercury emissions by 90 percent by December 2007. That's a strict goal, but it's an important one.

In fact, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Wisconsin already have similar laws to protect the health of their residents. Several other states, including neighboring Pennsylvania, are moving in the same direction.

Mercury -- which comes mainly from coal-fired power plants-- falls with the rain into lakes and streams. There, the toxic element collects in the flesh of several species of fish. If adults eat mercury-laden fish, they can develop cardiovascular and immune system problems. Mercury can also damage children's brains and nervous systems.

The federal government has only managed to come up with a too-weak draft protocol that would theoretically cut mercury pollution 70 percent by 2018. It would be rendered even less effective because an ongoing program allows the nation's worst mercury polluters -- big, aging Midwestern power plants whose filthy releases are blown by prevailing winds into New York's skies -- to buy ''pollution credits'' from relatively clean power plants. These credits would enable them to get out of installing mercury-removal equipment.

In February 2002, Gov. Pataki promised tight controls on mercury emissions in New York, at least, if the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency failed to do so nationwide.

But all this state has done is to put out warnings about eating fish from 51 water bodies-- many of them in the Catskills and Adirondacks.

Issuing fish advisories doesn't fulfill Pataki's vow to tighten air pollution regulations in New York. He should demand strong controls on dangerous mercury emissions."

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County Legislator Joel Tyner submitted this resolution in August (reworked version of one originally submitted in July!)-- unfortunately it wasn't even allowed out of the County Legislature's Environment and Community Development Committee in September, October, November, or December (let's hope things are a bit different in 2005!):

PROTECT COUNTY RESIDENTS' ABILITY TO BREATHE CLEAN AIR-- LIMIT EMISSIONS OF MERCURY AND CARBON DIOXIDE FROM AREA POWER PLANTS

WHEREAS, according to the Dutchess County Health Department, 329 times during 2002 Dutchess County residents were hospitalized for asthma, 365 times during 2002 Dutchess County residents were hospitalized for chronic bronchitis, and about 145 Dutchess County residents die every year from lung or bronchial cancer, and

WHEREAS, the American Lung Association of New York State gave our county an "F" in air quality for the fourth straight year in a row, and states that there are more than 29,000 people in our county with emphysema, asthma, or bronchitis-- 5770 children with asthma, 17,209 adults with asthma, 4800 people with chronic bronchitis, 1843 people with emphysema-- and 21,510 people with cardiovascular disease, and

WHEREAS, Millbrook's Institute for Ecosystem Studies reported last year that the ozone and smog levels here in our county are actually much worse than in New York City, and

WHEREAS, the Environmental Protection Agency has stated that our county is in violation of federal ozone standards, and

WHEREAS, because of PM 2.5 pollution (particulate matter) from power plants in our area like the Danskammer and Roseton power plants in Newburgh, right here in Dutchess County, 16 people die every year (including two from lung cancer), 34 people have heart attacks, 396 people have asthma attacks (including 12 that end up having to go to the hospital), and 12 people have chronic bronchitis, according to Clean the Air in Washington, and

WHEREAS, the coal-burning Danskammer power plant put 122 pounds of mercury into our air in 2002 (51 pounds more than in 1997), and there are are only three power plants in the state with higher recorded mercury emissions-- this is the latest available data from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and

WHEREAS, the Danskammer plant put 2,564,063 tons of carbon dioxide into our air in 2002 (32,279 more than in 1997), and 12,120 tons of sulfur dioxide into our air in 2002 (892 more tons than in 1997), according to the NYSDEC, and

WHEREAS, the two Dynegy power plants in Newburgh, Danskammer and Roseton, have been fined more than $19,000 over the last two years by the DEC and have been in noncompliance with the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act every single quarter over the last two years, according to the EPA, and

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that one out of every twelve women of childbearing years across our country have unsafe levels of mercury in their blood-- this obviously has significance for women here in Dutchess County, and

WHEREAS, mercury is toxic, and that the largest source of mercury air emissions and coal fired power plants remains completely unregulated for mercury emissions; exposure to mercury can affect the human nervous system and kidney function; mercury poisoning is linked to neonatal brain damage, affecting the development of cognitive and motor skills in children; in New York State, fish advisories warn against the consumption of mercury contaminated fish, advising children and woman of child bearing age against eating any fish from these waters, and recent U.S. EPA reports indicate that the regulation of mercury emissions from coal power plants is necessary and feasible, and

WHEREAS, unfortunately there now are no legal limits on the amounts of mercury (a dangerous poison) or carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) that power plants like Danskammer and Roseton can put into our air, and

WHEREAS, carbon dioxide is the leading greenhouse gas, our state needs a cost-effective model for managing carbon dioxide pollution by implementing a cap-and-trade program in the electric generating sector; the proliferation of more efficient power generating technologies will allow New York to meet the carbon dioxide cap, and

WHEREAS, the American Lung Association of New York State, Scenic Hudson, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Sierra Club, New York State Nurses Association, NYPIRG, New York League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Advocates, and Hudson Valley Green Times have all gone on record stating that such emissions should be sensibly limited, therefore so be it

RESOLVED, that the Dutchess County Legislature hereby moves to clean up the air we breathe here in our county by asking our State Legislature to pass A.5933, as the Assembly moved almost unanimously to do this May, to limit the amount of carbon dioxide and mercury that can be emitted from power plants such as the Danskammer and Roseton plants in Newburgh, and hereby asks the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to assess the sources of mercury air emissions and establish standards to eliminate the threat they pose to public health and the environment, and for the DEC to promulgate regulations to cap emissions of carbon dioxide, the major greenhouse gas, from electric generating facilities and establish a trading program for CO2, and, be it further

RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Governor George E. Pataki, Senators Stephen M. Saland and Vincent Leibell, Assemblymen Thomas Kirwan, Joel M. Miller, Patrick R. Manning, Willis H. Stephens Jr., and Kevin Cahill.

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Supporting documentation:

"Ozone Levels in County are Elevated: Kids, Asthma Patients at Risk"-- article by Dan Shapley from July 24th Poughkeepsie Journal

Environmental Advocates memo:
www.eany.org/capitolwatch/memos/2001/035a.html

Assembly legislation:
www.assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A.5933a

NYS Department of Health-- cancer statistics for Dutchess County:
www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/cancer/nyscr/vol1/v1cdutchess.htm

Page 66 of The American Lung Association of New York State "State of the Air 2004" report-- at www.alanys.org (has numbers on respiratory ailments for Dutchess County)...note also ALANYS memo endorsing this legislation is on this website as well-- at "Press Releases"

Dutchess County's average hourly concentration of ozone is actually quite a bit higher than even that of New York City's, according to a recent study conducted at Millbrook's Institute of Ecosystem Studies by Dr. Clive Jones, Jillian Gregg, and Todd Dawson that made the front page of the Poughkeepsie Journal and New York Times as well.

"...rural areas in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have higher concentrations of ozone near the ground than cities do...ozone concentrations in the air that people breathe have been increasing)..."
"City Trees Outgrow Their Country Cousins" [New York Times 7/10/03]
www.charleston.net/stories/071003/wor_10trees.shtml

The study focused on how cottonwoods grow half as fast up here compared to down there, but also noted how, "Primary O3 [ozone] precursors are emitted in cities, but must react in sunlight to form O3 as air masses move to rural environments . Ozone exposures were therefore consistently higher for rural sites both to the north and the east of the city in all consecutive growing seasons..." [Jillian Gregg's, Clive Jones', and Todd Dawson's "Urbanization, Air Pollution, and Tree Growth in the Vicinity of New York City" (page 6, lines 135-138)]

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The The Dutchess County Clean Air Petition Petition to Dutchess County Legislature was created by members of the Real Majority Project and written by County Legislator Joel Tyner (joeltyner@earthlink.net).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.

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