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Coal emissions is about more than just carbon dioxide. Other nasty stuff comes out of those smokestacks too. Nasty stuff like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide - which cause acid rain - and mercury - the neurotoxin responsible for the madness of hatters.
And that stuff is already regulated by the Clean Air Act.
But, according to Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), the regulation is not accomplishing what its creators intended for it to accomplish. According to the Carper and Alexander, coal fired power plants and other big emitters continue to pollute far more than they should.
So the Senators have proposed legislation that they say would give the Clean Air Act new power, save thousands of lives over the next fifteen years, and cut a total USD 2 trillion from national health care costs over that time period.
It will be interesting to see what opposition arises. Some conservatives will likely oppose it, given that it would be regulating industry. But some environmentalists might oppose it as well, for they might see it as a poor substitute for the greenhouse gas emission regulation that we'll need if we're to stop climate change.
And that stuff is already regulated by the Clean Air Act.
But, according to Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), the regulation is not accomplishing what its creators intended for it to accomplish. According to the Carper and Alexander, coal fired power plants and other big emitters continue to pollute far more than they should.
So the Senators have proposed legislation that they say would give the Clean Air Act new power, save thousands of lives over the next fifteen years, and cut a total USD 2 trillion from national health care costs over that time period.
It will be interesting to see what opposition arises. Some conservatives will likely oppose it, given that it would be regulating industry. But some environmentalists might oppose it as well, for they might see it as a poor substitute for the greenhouse gas emission regulation that we'll need if we're to stop climate change.
