Statement of Senator Lincoln Chafee
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Hearing on the Clean Power Act (S. 556)
November 1, 2001

Senator Jeffords, thank you for holding today's hearing on the Clean Power Act.   I commend you on placing clean air on the top of your priority list.  I must also thank Senator Smith for his work over the last two years on a multi-pollutant approach to addressing the nation's clean air concerns.

Let me start off by clearly stating that Congress must pass legislation that requires power plants to reduce emissions that contribute to acid rain, smog, respiratory disease, and global warming.  Legislation should be enacted to provide reductions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SOx), mercury, and carbon dioxide (CO2).  As this Committee has heard, there is significant disagreement over the inclusion or exclusion of carbon dioxide in any given proposal.  However, science has indicated that the continued overproduction of carbon dioxide increasingly threatens the long-term health of our planet. I firmly believe that the United States, as the world's leading industrial nation, must take the lead in curbing the disastrous effects of carbon dioxide overproduction.

As with most issues before this Committee, successful consideration of multi-pollutant legislation will require bipartisan solutions and delicate compromises.  We must ensure that the Clean Air Act continues to be protective of human health and the environment and does so in a manner that preserves the nation’s economic vitality.  Senators Jeffords and Smith clearly have the determination and the experience to craft a bipartisan bill that can enjoy broad support.  I look forward to pursuing a constructive dialogue and doing my part to reach a sensible solution.