Message of the Week: May 20, 2019

On Tuesday, May 21, 2019, the House Committee on Energy & Commerce will hold a hearing on Administrator Andrew Wheeler’s “Poison Plan,” a proposal to begin to dismantle the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS).  

• President Trump and EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler are moving forward with a Poison Plan that aims to dismantle the lifesaving Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), safeguards that protect communities across the country from dangerous mercury and toxic pollution from power plants.
• By undermining these protections, Wheeler is jeopardizing the health and wellbeing of communities across the country, especially vulnerable populations like pregnant women and communities of color, who are disproportionately impacted by mercury pollution.
• Mercury pollution causes permanent damage to the brains of babies and developing fetuses, leading to developmental delays, learning disabilities, and birth defects.  
• The reality is that this proposal is aimed to benefit Wheeler’s industry allies and will only put American families at risk. The EPA projected the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards would avoid annually:
• up to 11,000 premature deaths;
• nearly 5,000 heart attacks;
• 130,000 asthma attacks; and
• 5,700 hospital and emergency room visits.
• Industry voices even oppose Wheeler’s plan to undermine the standards and the power industry has already invested more than $18 billion in cleaning up these dangerous and deadly pollutants.
• The American people do not want leaders that support a plan to increase dangerous mercury pollution. They deserve an EPA administrator focused on advancing the agency’s mission to protect our health and environment.

[Target Accountability]

• Senator McSally is jeopardizing the health of 131,677 children and 533,517 adults already suffering with asthma in Arizona by refusing to hold Wheeler accountable for his Poison Plan.
• Senator Ernst refuses to address the impact Wheeler’s Poison Plan will have on Iowa communities’ health.
• Despite the impacts Wheeler’s Poison Plan will have on 100,231 children and 404,318 adults suffering with asthma in Colorado, Senator Gardner is refusing to protect the current mercury standards.
• Senator Tillis isn’t standing up for North Carolina families’ and communities’ health. With 264,523 children and 736,769 adults suffering with asthma in North Carolina, Senator Tillis must oppose the MATS.

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