A shameful day for the nation, and especially for us in West Virginia for two reasons: Our own Congressman McKinley, tool of industry, is the author of the bill; and we will bear the brunt of the consequences as northern West Virginia accelerates its status as the nation's coal ash epicenter.
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jared Saylor jsaylor@earthjustice.org Date: Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 2:18 PM Subject: FW: NEWS: House Vote on Coal Ash Will Cost Lives, Jobs To: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE@lists.sierraclub.org
This press statement from Earthjustice on the coal ash vote just went out to about 300 reporters nationwide.
_____________________________________________ *From:* Jared Saylor *Sent:* Friday, October 14, 2011 2:16 PM *To:* Jared Saylor *Subject:* NEWS: House Vote on Coal Ash Will Cost Lives, Jobs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2011
Contact: Lisa Evans, Earthjustice (978) 548-8645 Jared Saylor, Earthjustice (202) 667-4500, ext. 5213
House Vote on Coal Ash Will Cost Lives, Jobs *Neutering EPA’s ability to regulate toxic coal ash serves only corporate polluters*
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives voted *267-144* today to pass H.R. 2273, a misguided attempt to neuter the Environmental Protection Agency’s attempt to set the first ever federal regulations on coal ash. Despite evidence showing groundwater contamination from arsenic, lead and other toxic metals at hundreds of sites and a recent study showing that federal coal ash regulations would *create 28,000 new jobs*http://sei-us.org/publications/id/410every year, the House voted to put the interests of corporate polluters ahead of the American public.
The following statement is from Trip Van Noppen, president of Earthjustice:
“Nearly three years after the tragic spill of more than 1 billion gallons of toxic coal ash in Kingston, Tennessee, it’s obvious that federally enforceable safeguards for the disposal of this toxic waste are long overdue. In fact, 267 members of the House of Representatives have taken the disturbing step of moving us even further away from this important public safety goal.
“This Congress is turning their backs on what hundreds of communities living near coal ash ponds and landfills really need. Instead, these elected officials are paying attention only to the needs of corporate polluters intent on preserving their old, dangerous way of doing business. Coal ash is a toxic menace. We cannot afford another spill like the one in Tennessee, and the cold truth is that there are dozens of sites that could become another tragedy any day. Moreover, at hundreds of other coal ash sites, drinking water is contaminated with toxic heavy metals that can cause cancer and other disease.
“A recent study by *Tufts University*http://sei-us.org/publications/id/410found that federal regulations for coal ash could provide 28,000 new jobs every year. At a time when our economy is struggling and so many Americans are out of work and trying to make ends meet, it’s shameful that 267 members of the House are turning their backs on real jobs. Rather than acting to protect America’s health and environment, it’s obvious that some members of Congress are only acting to protect polluter profits.”
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