Fri., March 4, 2011

Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers supports polluters over health of children

This just in from Kristina Dumas at Environment Washington, regarding the attacks on Clean Air Act updates that would allow unlimited carbon dioxide pollution, increase health risks - Including asthma - for thousands of Washington children and adults:

More 66,850 Washington residents in and around Representative McMorris Rodgers’ district with asthma, including 15,500 children, are at increased risk of adverse health consequences if she is successful in preventing the US EPA from updating Clean Air Act standards, according to data compiled by the Natural Resources Defense Council and released by Environment Washington. Representative McMorris Rodgers has received more than $207,700 from polluters, many of which have made stopping the EPA a high priority.

Underscoring the severity of the problem, 609,000 residents statewide suffer from asthma including 145,000 children. EPA scientists have determined that carbon dioxide endangers public health, in part because it contributes to warmer temperatures, which make it easier for smog pollution to develop and harder to reduce it. Smog is particularly dangerous to asthma sufferers. Warmer temperatures are also associated with increased morbidity and mortality due to increased severe weather events, such as hurricanes and floods; the spread of infectious disease; and heat-related illnesses, all of which incur additional health care costs.

Representative McMorris Rodgers has cosponsored legislation intended to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from limiting air pollution. In addition, she voted in favor of a funding bill (HR 1) on February 19 that, among other things, blocks the EPA from limiting carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants and other industrial sources. This bill amounts to the biggest attack on the health and environment of Washingtonians in recent history. By blocking new air pollution limits, she would put the public’s health at risk by allowing polluters to continue emitting unlimited amounts of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the air.

“Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers has turned her back on the health of families and children in her district, and instead has chosen to embrace corporate polluters,” said Kristina Dumas, Field Associate with Environment Washington. “As the EPA works to protect public health from dangerous carbon pollution, Congress should support their efforts, not stand in the way.”

Health professionals are concerned about the direction Congress is headed in when it comes to air pollution. Nearly 300 national and local health groups and other organizations recently called on Congress to fully support the EPA’s efforts to limit air pollution In addition, nearly 2,000 doctors, nurses and other individual health care professionals recently urged Congress not to block EPA efforts to limit air pollution.

“Our elected representatives should hold big polluters accountable, not help them block the strong safeguards that would protect our health and quality of life,” said Dan Lashof, an environmental scientist and Director of NRDC’s Climate Center. “Unfortunately, these dirty air boosters are choosing to stand up for the polluters instead of public health. They voted for the dirtiest, most irresponsible bill I have ever seen come out of the House or Senate. We think the scientists and experts at the EPA should decide what pollution limits are needed, not politicians whose careers have been supported by big polluters.”

The U.S. House passed a “Continuing Resolution” funding bill (HR 1) on Feb 19, 2011, which blocks EPA from limiting carbon pollution from power plants. Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, offered the amendment (No. 466) to this bill that was adopted and which would block EPA’s limits on carbon pollution from cars, power plants and other industrial sources.

Representative McMorris Rodgers supported H.R. 1 and Rep. Poe’s amendment and is a co-sponsor of H.R. 97, which would permanently allow unlimited carbon pollution.

SOURCES: Asthma prevalence estimates are from the American Lung Association’s “Estimated Prevalence and Incidence of Lung Disease by Lung Association Territory” which can be found at http://www.lungusa.org/finding-cures/our-research/trend-reports/estimated-prevalence.pdf. Please note that the asthma data is by county. Estimates of asthma prevalence “in and around” specific districts include the prevalence estimates for each county wholly or partly within the district. In urban areas where several districts may all include different parts of the same county, numbers will appear to be the same. Campaign contributions information is from Open Secrets (http://www.OpenSecrets.org) and Federal Election Commission (http://www.fec.gov/disclosure.shtml) reports of contributions from oil and gas, electric utility, and coal and mining sectors. Top donors in these categories oppose key EPA safeguards.

Contact: Kristina Dumas, Environment Washington, (206) 568-2850 X 2008, kdumas@environmentwashington.org;

Posted March 4, 2011, 1:30 p.m.