Broad Coalition of Advocates Descend on Capitol Hill to Fend Off Attacks on Clean Air Act

Washington, DC July 18, 2011: Small business owners, children, public health advocates and others will have a voice in Congress this week as advocates descend on Capitol Hill in support of clean air standards that reduce harmful air pollution, endanger public health and put our economic future at risk.

They come from all walks of life, from more than 10 states and are armed with personal stories and community statistics about the public health and economic benefits of clean air. They are going door-to-door in the halls of Congress urging elected officials to consider the harm they are doing before they undermine any clean air protections that improve the quality of the air we all breathe and bolster our economic stability.

Opponents of clean energy are pushing an agenda that puts our country at an economic disadvantage and places all of us at higher risk for serious illnesses, said Walter Kavanaugh, owner of L&W Maintenance and Janitorial Services in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. That's why we are here to tell Congress to think about what they are doing to families, seniors and entrepreneurs like myself before they roll back successful public policies like the Clean Air Act.

Jonathan Tobias, owner of Michigan Green Cabs in Ann Arbor and Yolanda Williams, proprietor of Plan Execute Grow, LLC, in Detroit and West Bloomfield willbe joining Kavanaugh as other Michigan small business owners making their voices heard in Congress. These advocates, organized by a coalition of 10 diverse organizations, are asking lawmakers to oppose efforts to block clean air standards that would reduce air pollution from mercury, greenhouse gases, ozone, and other harmful toxics.

This is a public health issue and all Americans have a stake in it, said Brenda Afzal, MS, RN, HCWH, U.S. Climate Policy Coordinator, Health Care Without Harm. Air pollution is linked to some of the nation's most prevalent health conditions, including asthma, and it exacerbates chronic conditions like heart and lung disease.

Addressing emissions of mercury and other toxics would have similar health and economic benefits, including the prevention of as many as 17,000 premature deaths, 11,000 heart attacks, 120,000 asthma attacks and about 11,000 cases of acute bronchitis among children annually. Cleaning up ozone can save thousands of lives each year and helps us rebuild our economy, as well. The Clean Air Act has fostered a long period of economic development and has fueled job growth, 1.3 million jobs were created by the Clean Air Act between 1977 and 1991.

The Clean Air Act has ushered in years of technological innovation, job creation and expanded U.S. exports, things that benefit small businesses and lay the foundation for long-term economic growth, said John Arensmeyer, founder and CEO of Small Business Majority. Recent efforts in Congress to roll back the Clean Air Act have jeopardized the years of success this law has created along with the financial and economic advantages passed on to our country's primary job creators and the millions small businesses employ.

The Clean Air Act, which has helped improve our air quality and human health since its passage in 1970, has been an invaluable tool to carryout our call to steward God's earth. The recently proposed improvements to the Clean Air Act can save thousands of lives and protect the health of God's Creation for future generations. We are meeting with policymakers this week to demonstrate the broad support among all Americans and people of faith to protect the public, particularly vulnerable populations, from air pollution and oppose efforts to weaken, postpone or prevent implementation of the Clean Air Act, said Cassandra Carmichael, Director of the National Council of Churches Washington Office and Eco-Justice Programs.