This is the first in a series of three or more hearings that will explore how air pollution from energy use affects public health and the environment. First, however, I'll make a short statement and then turn to my colleagues for their remarks.
This morning, I turned on the lights in my kitchen. And, like a growing number of Americans, I thought about where that electricity came from. I wondered how many pounds of pollution and waste were created so I could make myself a cup of coffee. Then, I opened my newspaper to the weather page like so many people do every day. But, the people I was thinking about aren't farmers or ranchers or golf pros or construction workers who worry about rain or drought.
I was thinking about tens of millions of people with asthma, or who have children with asthma, and the people with emphysema, bronchitis, lung cancer and other illnesses related to air pollution.
Every day these people must check the weather page to see the air quality forecast. Will it be a code red day? Will they have to be careful about their outdoor activities? That's no way to live. We can do much better in the way we use energy.
This morning also reminded me of a sultry summer morning in Vermont about 15 years ago. Yes, we really do have sultry summer mornings in Vermont. I was hiking in the Green Mountains. I could barely see across that great lake - Lake Champlain. The haze from fine particles was terrible then and now isn't much better.
My friends in the area tell me that the fishing permits come with an advisory warning them about mercury in the fish. And, they are concerned that sugar maples are being affected by acid rain and global warming. Christmas tree growers are also worried about acid rain's impacts on tree health and vitality. These are important businesses and these are big concerns in Vermont.
I know the electric utility industry and its people work hard to provide our nation with the power to run our homes, schools and hospitals. The industry has done a good job of improving on the goals that Congress set out in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. But, it's becoming increasing clear that we should have asked for more. And, we will, I promise.
We made great progress in the 1990 Amendments on reducing pollution. Today we begin the next phase of these actions. Our task together on this Committee is to find common ground on an issue important to the entire nation.
We must strive to improve the nation's air quality even further. We will also try to bring certainty to a industry facing an array of complicated rules. In the meantime, there are lots of Administration initiatives that could help us achieve greater reductions from power plants. Unfortunately, some of those seemed stalled or tied up in "reviews" of one kind or another. I hope we can untangle those.
The President's Energy Policy supports a multi-pollutant approach. I look forward to working with President Bush and Governor Whitman as they develop their proposal.
Unfortunately, the President's Policy backs away from a commitment to address carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. I am disappointed about that and the Administration's position on the Kyoto Protocol. I am disappointed in the Administration's approach to climate change and specifically their refusal to constructively engage the world in a solution.
The Administration can refuse to commit the United States to the Kyoto treaty. It can withhold offering its own alternative to the framework outlined in the treaty and it can reduce funding for implementing climate change reduction programs. That is their choice.
But this Congress, this Senate, and especially this Committee will not let our international partners down. We plan to take steps to reduce our nation's contribution to this growing problem by working with industry to reduce carbon emissions.
So, we can sit here and bemoan the fact that the United States has been left out of an important international treaty. Or, we can take action now to improve air quality and protect the environment.
In the coming weeks, we will hold a series of hearings to review the possibilities available to clean our air and cut greenhouse gases, while maintaining the strongest economy in the world. Next week, we'll review the transportation sector, including a look at CAFE, and later we'll cover the commercial and industrial sectors.
We really have to drastically rethink how we approach energy use. I believe we can keep up with electricity and energy demand in an environmentally and economically responsible way.
I am not a scientist or a particularly gloomy person. But, I can't help but wonder if the pollution that my cup of coffee generated is to blame for some of the problems we're going to hear about today.
I would like to thank Senator Smith for all that he's done to advance the comprehensive approach to power plant emissions. He really got the ball rolling and I look forward to working with him on this important matter.
I also look forward to hearing from today's witnesses, particularly Governor Whitman and Mr. Johnstone of Vermont. I know the Governor has a long and personal interest in protecting public health, as she did so well in the State of New Jersey.