Senator Stabenow to Vote on Attacks on Public Health Tomorrow

Media Releases

Environment Michigan

Ann Arbor, MI—Tomorrow, Senator Stabenow will be voting on several proposals that would threaten Michiganders’ health by blocking the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to clean up dangerous carbon dioxide pollution.  Environment Michigan Associate Nicole Lowen issued the following statement in anticipation of the vote:
 
“Polluters and their allies in Congress are launching a brazen attack on Michigan’s public health and our environment tomorrow, and we’re counting on Michigan’s senators to stand up for Michiganders by voting against this attack.  Unfortunately, Senator Stabenow is actually leading the charge on one of these attacks.  Global warming presents serious threats to Michiganders’ health, our economy and our future, but these proposals would weaken the Clean Air Act’s ability to protect us from the very pollution that is fueling the problem.”
 
Despite the Clean Air Act’s 40 year track record of cost-effectively cutting dangerous pollution, and the many serious health and environmental threats posed by global warming, several amendments are expected to be voted on tomorrow in the U.S. Senate which would block or weaken the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to clean up carbon dioxide pollution.  The proposals are being offered as amendments to an unrelated small business bill (S. 493).

  • Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is offering an amendment mirroring Sen. Inhofe’s bill (S. 482) to block the EPA from cleaning up dangerous carbon dioxide pollution, overturn scientific findings regarding the threats posed by global warming, and block EPA and the states from cutting global warming pollution and saving oil through clean car standards.
  • Senator Stabenow (D-MI) is offering an amendment that would block the implementation of standards to cut global warming pollution from coal-fired power plants, oil refineries and other industrial sources for at least two years, and block states from cutting global warming pollution and saving oil through clean car standards.
  • Senator Rockefeller (D-WV) is offering an amendment that would block the EPA’s ability to set or even do research and gather stakeholder input on standards to cut global warming pollution from coal-fired power plants, oil refineries and other industrial sources for at least two years.
  • Senator Baucus (D-MT) is offering an amendment that would block the clean-up of global warming pollution from biomass facilities and also would permanently exempt even the very largest sources of global warming pollution from having to clean up their global warming pollution unless the source is also a very large source of other pollutants.