As John Hanger of PennFuture says, "Every environmental victory grows the economy."

However, the one victory we're lacking at the moment is Governor Ed Rendell's proposal for "a state-specific mercury reduction plan that protects the market for bituminous coal while ensuring vastly greater protections to improve the environment and keep residents healthy and safe."

Here's the problem: mercury from coal-fired plants mixes with oxygen in the air, or oxidizes. Then when it rains, the mercury-oxide mixes with the raindrops and falls to the ground and runs into the waterways close to the source, creating hot-spots of mercury pollution.

In 2001, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection along with the Fish and Boat Commission and the Department of Health issued a statewide advisory for mercury and PCB's. For health and safety reasons, people were warned to limit their fish intake caught in our streams, rivers, and lakes to no more than 3 – 6 ounces per week.

The bad news: Pennsylvania is the fourth-largest coal-producing state and ranks first as the state with the highest atmospheric mercury pollution. It also uses an outdated safety standard that is insufficient to protect those most at risk from mercury - women of childbearing age, babies, and the elderly.

The good news: Through improved technology, there is an inexpensive way to reduce mercury pollution from coal-fired plants. If our legislators had the political will, they could require coal-fired plants to invest in advanced equipment to improve their environmental performance and reduce their toxic emissions.

And the ugly: After a majority of our Senators voted against the Governor’s proposal for stricter regulations, their bill (SB 1201) was deliberately sent to the House Rules Committee by Speaker of the House John Perzel to BYPASS the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, which has jurisdiction over it. This was done to keep the committee from amending the bill.

Is this the way we want business conducted in Harrisburg? We need a voice who will speak for the people of this commonwealth - one who will speak up to protect our health and grow our economy. I will be that voice because I have the courage to do what is RIGHT!

Posted by Barbara McIlvaine Smith at 3:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Sierra Club To Endorse Barbara McIlvaine Smith

PRESS ADVISORY
July 22, 2006

West Chester—On Tuesday, July 25, at 11 am, the Sierra Club’s Southeastern Pennsylvania Group will endorse Barbara McIlvaine Smith, candidate for Pennsylvania State Representative in District 156. The endorsement, which will take place at the Chester Creek Park on Reservoir Road in East Goshen, is a strong acknowledgment of Barb’s lifetime commitment to preserving the environmental resources that are essential for the health and welfare of our citizens.

In the race for the 156th District legislative seat, Barbara McIlvaine Smith stands out as the candidate who has a clear record of service fighting for critical environmental issues. With the proven and growing threat of climate change upon us, Barb McIlvaine Smith is the only candidate who can bring a lifetime of commitment and environmental knowledge to the table. She is the person responsible for gaining the unanimous, early support of West Chester Borough Council for Governor Rendell’s Growing Greener II initiative. Her efforts helped put this overwhelmingly popular and important initiative on the ballot last year. While on the West Chester Borough Council, she voted on a storm water management program "to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the 'maximum extent practicable'; protect water quality; and satisfy the requirements of the Clean Water Act" for the Chester Creek Watershed, in which the borough sits. She has a long record of promoting recycling and, during her Borough Council tenure, she initiated trash, recycling, and composting systems to improve solid waste disposal and cut costs while preserving our local environment. For years, Barb taught children the importance of environmental responsibility as an educator at the Brandywine Valley Association and is a certified master composter. She is a long-time member of numerous environmental groups, including the Sierra Club.

On Tuesday, Barb will be joined by Richard Whiteford, Chair of the Chester County Sierra Club Committee; Robin Mann, Board of Directors of the Sierra Club and Chair of the Wetlands Committee of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Sierra Club; Bill Brainerd, Political Chair of Sierra Club’s Southeastern Pennsylvania Group; Jane Fava, Watershed Watch Coordinator for the Brandywine Valley Association and member of the Sierra Club and CRC Watersheds Association; State Senator Andy Dinniman; and Chester County Commissioner Pat O'Donnell. Invited are: Walter Wujcik, Chair of the East Goshen Township Conservancy Board, and Ann Murphy, Chair of Chester-Ridley-Crum Watersheds Association.

Barbara McIlvaine Smith is already endorsed by several organizations, including the Association of Pennsylvania State College & University Faculties, the National Women’s Political Caucus, the Pennsylvania Women’s Campaign Fund, and Planned Parenthood of Chester County.

The press is cordially invited to attend the endorsement on Tuesday. For more information, contact: Lani Frank, Campaign Manager: 610-696-4990

Posted by Campaign Webmaster at 3:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)