Activists discuss new source review program

STORY: Wearing cowboy hats carrying signs and calling themselves the "Clean Air Rangers," 200 citizens attended a Dallas public hearing to weigh in on the EPAšs new source review program. The changes would allow old power plants to make construction alterations that increase pollution without applying for a federal permit.

Katy Hubener of the Dallas group Clean Skies Alliance, said she and the other rangers issued EPA officials a ticket, citing violations of citizens' right to breathe clean air.

"The point is that now the Environmental Protection Agency is essentially giving a life-time license to polluters who perpetually pollute. They're continuing to allow for the oldest and dirtiest and nastiest plants to pollute forever and ever and that's what this is all about. And we want to tell the EPA that we know what they're up to and that's why we issued them a citation tonight."

Though just one of many clean-air rollbacks brought by the Bush administration, some say changes to the new source review could have the most serious implications. Executive director for Galveston-Houston Association for Smog Prevention John Wilson called the program the foundation for the Federal Clean Air Act.

"The new source review program is really the fundamental engine of clean air law in this country. There's many other pieces of clean air law out of it. But this is the key, fundamental law that if it is removed, it sets in place the momentum toward removing every other air safeguard that is in place."

The measure, which many environmentalists have called an industry hand out, could have serious implications for cities like Dallas and Houston, both facing a deadline of 2007 to reduce toxic air emissions or lose federal highway funds.

"Across the country we know of many plans. One, is the exemption plan very badly that the EPA is proposing, and in Houston, exemptions would allow for increases in various air toxics, increases in pollution in sulfur-dioxide, and this will have an impact particularly on people who live near these chemical plants and refineries."

Hilton Kelly, of Port Arthur said the neighborhoods surrounded by power plants and chemical refineries were typically low-income communities of color, who lack the resources to fight for clean air. Kelly called the rule change another form of environmental racism as he testified before EPA officials Monday.

"Industry finds it very inviting to come to these types of communities. And out government allow this. We are being targeted out, as the rest of the nation goes on with its gasoline, and we are the ones suffering to make that gasoline. Don't just bring it into the poor communities where people can't even stand up and say 'Hey, we are dying from the gases you are putting into our air.' We know what's going on in the Middle East at this time. But what happens over there when someone drops a gas bomb, it is intentional. In our community, it is intentional as well, and people are dying."

Kelly said even upper-income communities should be concerned about new source review changes.

"It's time for the people in every community around this nation to stand up for their rights to breathe clean air. The people that run these industries are so busy looking at the dollar figures they forget about what they need to really stay alive, and it's not always about money. What you need is fresh air to breathe and clean water to drink. None of us can survive without those two elements."

Public comment on the new source review change will close May 2.

Erika McDonald, KPFT News, Houston.

E-mail Erika McDonald at erika@cechouston.org .

This story was broadcast on April 2, 2003.