In response to the Environmental Protection Agency's recent relaxation of Clean Air Act rules, the Sierra Club began running television ads in Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay Tuesday. The ads, which feature Samantha Hermsen, a Wauwatosa fifth grader, focus on ongoing dilemmas of air pollution in Wisconsin.
\I have asthma and when the air is dirty, I have to worry. You should worry too. Power-plant pollution makes my asthma worse and we need to clean it up,"" Hermsen said in the commercials.
The Clean Air Act, passed in 1970, now includes the program New Source Review, which is currently facing criticism due to changes in the program by the EPA.
Prior to the EPA's alteration of this program, when a new plant industry facility was built or an older facility wanted to make modifications that would trigger emissions, state officials would review the plant and issue a permit documenting and limiting emissions.
The review process for older plants seeking modification, however, proved time-consuming and hindered ongoing operation, according to Prudence Goforth, acting assistant associate administrator for public affairs for the EPA.
In light of this fact, older facilities often avoided New Source Review, Goforth said. In response, the EPA recently specified that older facilities needed to undergo New Source Review only when new modifications exceeded 20 percent of the operating cost of the facility.
""It will allow facilities to take actions that will make their facility more efficient and operate better,"" Goforth said.
New power plants will still have to go through the review.
Many environmentalists, including members of the Sierra Club said they fear the act will allow older facilities to operate without having to update their anti-pollution equipment when modifications do not exceed the 20 percent operating cost.
""We'll have dirtier air here floating up from states like Illinois and Ohio and in order to further provide safe, clean air we will have to further clamp down [on pollution] in Wisconsin,"" said Brett Hulsey, a spokesperson from the Sierra Club.
Ed Newman, environmental services director for Wisconsin Public Service Corporation said, he thinks the impact will be minimal.
""I think there is a misconception that this is going to allow utilities to modify their plants to increase pollution, but that's simply not the case,"" he said.
