Washington, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives tonight passed legislation that would block critical protections against toxic mercury and other dangerous chemicals and metals emitted by industrial boilers, which are among the nation’s biggest and dirtiest sources of mercury pollution. Boilers exist in and around hospitals, schools and communities across the country, exposing Americans to toxic mercury pollution, a known brain poison that threatens the development of young children. The bill is the latest in a series of dangerous attacks waged by House Leadership on public health protections and the Clean Air Act.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune issued the following statement:
“By passing H.R. 2250, the U.S. House has again voted to put polluter interests over the public's health. H.R. 2250 blocks toxic mercury protections that have already been delayed more than two decades and allows industrial boilers, some of the nation’s biggest, dirtiest sources of mercury pollution, to continue spewing toxic mercury into our air and water without limits.
“To be clear, the House’s actions tonight will create zero jobs, and serve only to advance the House Leadership’s pro-polluter, anti-public health agenda.
“The Sierra Club applauds President Obama’s commitment to veto these reckless bills and we urge the Senate to reject these polluter-led attacks on public health.”
