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Figure 1. Pollution (Battelle, 2003).
The movement towards deregulation really began in 1992 when President George Bush Senior officially deregulated the federal power industry, and with federal deregulation of the power utility companies also came the right for utility companies to give political contributions (Palast, 2003). The power companies loved to see the market deregulated, and they seemed to have no problem contributing to political campaigns. The power companies generously gave to the presidential campaign of 2000, but they seemed to favor the Republican party (the party that started deregulation in the first place) over the Democratic party. The power companies seemed to like the Republican party so much they donated 16 million dollars to their 2000 campaign, and this figure (16 million) was seven times the amount the Democratic party received (Palast, 2003). This might have something to do with President Clinton banning Enron (one of the largest power providers in the country) from California's energy market for a number of problems they created. Interestingly enough, the number one contributor to George W. Bush's 2000 campaign was Enron, and one of President George W. Bush's first orders of business after inauguration (it only took him 72 hours) was to lift former President Clinton's ban on Enron (Palast, 2003).
Currently in the House and the Senate there are two bills dealing with the reduction of air pollution, but these bills are in contrast with the Bush administration's (and the power companies) plan to continue to pollute the air. The Clean Power Act and the Clean Smokestacks Act main goal is to drastically diminish air pollution, and the smog, mercury contamination, acid rain, and respiratory diseases associated with the pollution (Save the Clean Air Act, 2002). The bills would help to support the current Clean Air Act, yet still provide the power companies with options and revenue increasing benefits. While the Bush administration's plan would only delay reduction requirements, and allow for more air pollution (Save the Clean Air Act, 2002).
In fact, if the Bush administration's plan is not stopped, mercury reductions will not be seen until 2010, and even then the reductions will be minimal. Unfortunately, the same is true for the reduction of sulfur and smog-forming nitrogen oxides, and if things are not changed soon it will be too late (Clear the Air, n/d). The Bush administration's plan dismisses the problem of carbon dioxide pollution, and plans to let emissions of this harmful chemical continue to rise (Clear the Air, n/d). These environmental disasters must be stopped, and we as citizens of this earth need to do some thing about these ever-growing concerns.
Please take the time to look below and send an action letter in support of the Clean Power Act and the Clean Smokestacks Act and/or reducing mercury emissions in power plants. Figure 2 shows a chart comparing the new acts (Clean Power Act and the Clean Smokestacks Act) and the Bush administration's plan.
Figure 2. Comparison (Save the Clean Air Act, 2002).
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