House Passes Sweeping Anti-Clean Air TRAIN Act

Leading Environmental Groups Call on Senate to Reject It, Commend Veto Threat from White House

Washington, DC – September 23, 2011: Today the House of Representatives passed a sweeping anti-environment bill that blocks two landmark public health safeguards against air pollution. The TRAIN Act, H.R. 2401, blocks standards that would curb mercury emissions from power plants and reduce pollution that travels across state lines and endangers communities. Leading environmental and public health groups (listed below) issued the following statement after the House vote:

“We are heartened by the President’s strong stand against the TRAIN Act and against pollution with his promise to veto this dangerous legislation.  His leadership will keep Americans from being forced to breathe smog and other dangerous air pollutants.  We call on the U.S. Senate to stand strong and reject the TRAIN Act and its deadly impacts on public health.  Hundreds of thousands of asthma attacks and heart attacks and tens of thousands of premature deaths can be prevented with common sense clean air safeguards proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency.

“The House today showed they have bought the false argument that we need to choose between protecting lives and creating jobs. Now we need the Senate and the President to protect our right to breathe.”

Environment America

Natural Resources Defense Council

Sierra Club

League of Conservation Voters

US Climate Action Network

League of Women Voters

Environmental Defense Fund

Earthjustice