Senate Passes Resolution that Would Allow for More Toxic Air Pollution

Today, the Senate passed a Congressional Review Act Resolution of Disapproval to overturn an EPA rule that makes sure some of the most deadly polluting industries don’t turn off their pollution controls. The rule, which deals with Reclassification of Major Sources as Area Sources, helps ensure that once a polluting facility reduces its emissions as much as possible, it has to keep meeting strict emissions standards to keep those emissions in check. In response to today’s vote, American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer issued the following statement in response: 
 
“The Senate voted today to overturn a critical cleanup measure that ensures some of the most deadly, cancer-causing pollution is kept out of the air families breathe. Overturning this rule would result in facilities across the country getting the green light to turn off pollution controls, letting more toxic pollutants into the air. 
 
“The use of the Congressional Review Act to undo this Clean Air Act rule will not only make people across the country sicker, it will create regulatory uncertainty that could ultimately make any future pollution cleanup measures harder. The House must reject this attempt to give polluters a free pass to harm kids’ health.”