State Groups and Health Experts Applaud Today’s Inhofe CRA Vote

Environment Colorado

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Denver, CO – Today, Colorado groups expressed relief following the U.S. Senate’s vote on the Inhofe Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s Mercury and Air Toxics standard.  They say today’s Congressional action would have killed the EPA’s clean air standard for curbing mercury and other toxic air pollutants, endangering Coloradans lives and health in the process.

Today’s vote in the U.S. Senate on Senator Jim Inhofe’s CRA resolution, which was introduced two months ago, means that Colorado children, families and communities will continue to be protected from the harmful amounts of mercury, arsenic, acid gases and other toxics that pour out of dirty power plants.

“By defeating this cynical measure, Inhofe and his supporters failed in killing the EPA mercury and air toxic standard, which would have indirectly hurt thousands of Americans, particularly children, whose health would be protected under the standard,” said Bessie Schwarz, Environment Colorado’s Field Organizer.

According to the EPA, the mercury and air toxics standard will save as many as 11,000 lives, prevent as many as 130,000 asthma attacks among children, and prevent as many as 4,700 heart attacks each year. In Colorado alone, 98,217 children currently suffer from asthma. Thankfully, the corporate polluters and their lobbyists failed to block this life saving clean air, spending millions to influence Congress. 

Schwarz concluded, “I believe today’s Senate vote is a big victory for Coloradans, and puts the health and welfare of our children and our communities ahead of polluter profits. Colorado Senators Udall and Bennet should be commended for putting our children’s health first.”

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Environment Colorado is a state-wide citizen-funded environmental organization working to protect clean air, clean water and open space.