Also see Larry Beahan's Cover Letter,
sent along with this resolution to Western New York officials.

SIERRA CLUB, NIAGARA GROUP
RESOLUTION ON TRANS-BOUNDARY POLLUTION,
APRIl 2000

Whereas, coal-burning power plants produce oxides of nitrogen (NO_X) emissions that cause ozone smog pollution which contributes to respiratory illness and public health problems:

Whereas, coal-burning power plants also produce sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions, a powerful asthma trigger and cause of acid rain which harms the natural environment by damaging lakes, rivers and forests;

Whereas, the Canadian province of Ontario is becoming more dependent on coal-burning for electric generation because its nuclear power plants have been shut down;

Whereas, Ontario’s coal-burning power plants currently emit pollutants at three times the rates now permissible for U.S. power plants;

Whereas, Ontario’s 4,096 megawatt Nanticoke power plant is the largest coal-burning electric generating station in North America without modern pollution controls;

Whereas, the Nanticoke plant is just 63 miles west of the Buffalo metropolitan area and directly upwind on High Ozone Days;

Whereas, New York State has become a clean air leader and has recently announced more stringent limits on emissions from its power plants than federal standards;

Whereas, anticipated public health and environmental gains for New Yorkers will be undermined by pollution from Canadian power plants unless these plants are required to clean up their operation;

Whereas, on-going "Ozone Annex" negotiations between the U.S. and Canada to reduce trans-boundary smog presents an opportunity for the U.S. federal government to obtain an agreement with Canada to reduce polluting emissions from coal-burning Ontario power plants like Nanticoke;

Whereas, these negotiations, which are expected to conclude this year, could end in failure unless the U.S. State Department successfully convinces the Canadian government to accept and impose the U.S. limit on smog-causing nitrogen oxide emissions (0.15 lbs. of NO_X per MMBTU) on Canadian power plants;

Now therefore be it resolved that the Sierra Club, Niagara Group calls upon U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright and the Clinton Administration to negotiate a trans-boundary ozone reduction treaty with Canada, which requires that Canadian power plants meet the same standard as U.S. power plants (0.15 lbs. Of NO_X Per MMBTU);

 

Be it further resolved that the Sierra Club, Niagara Group calls upon:

• Erie County Executive Joel Giambra
• The Erie County Legislature,
• Buffalo Mayor Anthony Masiello,
• The Buffalo Common Council,
• New York State Governor George Pataki,
• Members of the Western New York State Assembly Delegation,
• Members of the Western New York State Senate Delegation,
• U.S. Senators Daniel Moynihan and Charles Schumer,
• Congressmen John LaFalce, Jack Quinn, and Tom Reynolds, and
• Senate candidates Hillary Clinton and Rudolph W. Giuliani

   

to urge U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright and the Clinton Administration to negotiate a trans-boundary ozone reduction treaty with Canada which requires that Canadian power plants meet the 0.15 lbs. Of NO_X Per MMBTU emission rate;

Be it further resolved that the Sierra Club, Niagara Group calls upon the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with the cooperation of the U.S. Congress, to aggressively clean up older U.S. power plants and to require all U.S. power plants to meet New York’s more stringent NO_X and SO_X emissions requirements;

Be it further resolved that the Sierra Club, Niagara Group thanks New York Governor George Pataki and Attorney General Elliot Spitzer for their efforts to make New York the nation’s clean air leader by seeking reduced emissions from power plants within and outside of New York State.