The Partnership for New York City, sent out 350,000 flyers last week advocating for congestion pricing. The focus of the flyer was how traffic pollution contributes to asthma. This powerful organization composed of large business groups and bankers sits at Michael Bloomberg's throne. Along with Dan Doctoroff, Bloomberg economic development czar, it is the engine driving the plan.
Asthma has been the scourge of poor communities such as the Bronx for years. It is with suspicion that the Partnership has hijacked this cause. They were loudly silent when community activist groups called for a reduction of trucks and waste transfer facilities added to an already burdened community. The Bronx has the highest asthma rate in the country. The Partnership for New York has spent $1 million to advocate Bloomberg's campaign for congestion pricing.
Some business leaders feel that congestion pricing is good for business. It will help restaurants, taxi and ferry service and the folks who maintain and manufacture the scanning devices necessary to enforce the congestion charge. But the Partnership has failed in policing it's own members environmental faux pas. We begin with the Alcoa Corporation, a member of the board of directors.
Environmental record according to the University of Massachusetts' Political Economy Research Institute. Alcoa is one of the top ten most toxic companies in the country, producing 9,884,267 pounds of toxic chemicals in 2002 alone.
[1] Since 1987, state and federal regulators have cited Alcoa for more than forty-seven pollution violations.
[2] In 2002, Alcoa paid half a million dollars in fines at its Indiana plant in order to settle lawsuits charging it evaded water pollution regulations.
[3] Under the controversial grandfather provisions of the Texas Clean Air Act, Alcoa has been exempt from installing up to date pollution control devices and submitting to health-impact studies.
[4] President Bush appointed former Alcoa Chair and CEO Paul O'Neill Treasury Secretary of the United States in his first administration.
Then there is Energy Nuclear Northeast, the folks who are responsible for the Indian Point Nuclear Reactor. Aka Entergy that sits on the board of directors.
Contact: Lisa Rainwater van Suntum 914-478-4501 x 221 Darcy Casteleiro 914-478-4501 x 239
For Immediate Release 4-18-2006
RIVERKEEPER NOTIFIES ENTERGY NUCLEAR NORTHEAST OF INTENT TO SUE FOR VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL TOXIC WASTE LAW AT INDIAN POINT
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Environmental Watchdog Group Takes Action As Radioactive Cocktail Continues to Leach into Hudson River and Groundwater, Violating Federal Environmental Law
Tarrytown, N.Y. Today Riverkeeper, the Tarrytown-based environmental organization, celebrating its 40th year of protecting the Hudson River and the watershed from polluters, announced its intent to sue Entergy Nuclear Northeast for violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
This federal statute requires operators of industrial facilities to notify the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) when they discover a leak of hazardous substances, such as radioactive isotopes, from their facility and to remediate the environmental damage in a timely manner. Entergy Nuclear failed to notify EPA when they discovered the leak of contaminated water from the Indian Point 2 spent fuel pool, thereby avoiding the involvement of EPA in the leak investigation and remediation process.
Croton residents Gary Shaw and Charlie Kane are co-plaintiffs in this pending litigation. Under the citizen suit provisions of RCRA, Riverkeeper must notify the defendant sixty days prior to filing suit.
Let us not forget Keyspan that is also on the board of directors of the Partnership
July 26, 2005American Lung Association of New York State Environmental Advocates of New York Hudson River Sloop Clearwater New York Climate Rescue New York Public Interest Research Group Renewable Energy Long Island:
NORTHEASTERN POWER COMPANIES TARGETED FOR DISPROPORTIONATE GLOBAL WARMING POLLUTION NRG Energy, Dynegy Top Two Polluting Companies in the Northeast, Report Shows
Albany, NY - A new report More Heat than Light: Global Warming Pollution from the Northeast’s Dirtiest Power Producers released today by environmental groups found that a small number of the northeast’s dirtiest power companies are responsible for a disproportionate amount of power sector global warming pollution. The report also found that a majority, six of the top ten biggest emitting power plants are in New York.
The region’s ten dirtiest power companies emitted 64 percent of the global warming pollution while producing only 33 percent of the region’s energy.
While Keyspan is fourth among the ten worst polluting companies in the report, its Boston office signed a letter to Massachusetts Governor Romney supporting the regional global warming pollution cap on power plants. Groups stated that this generally put them a bit ahead of the curve of other power plant owners and encourages them to reduce the emissions at their New York plants. The Northport plan on Long Island and the Ravenswood facility in Queens were among the regions top ten emitters of global warming pollution.
“There’s no time to lose in tackling global warming, and the biggest polluters must clean up.” said Christine Vanderlan, global warming program director with Environmental Advocates of New York. “Governor Pataki needs to require them to cut carbon dioxide emissions now.”
The report also analyzed plant-by-plant data and found that the 50 dirtiest power plants in the region emitted 80 percent of the sector’s global warming pollution while only producing 45 percent of the region’s energy. There are 188 facilities that contributed to the region’s electricity pool in 2004. Twenty-two of the 50 dirtiest plants, or 44% were located in New York. Six of those facilities were in the top ten.
"With New York City facing deteriorating air quality (3rd worst in the nation) with over 200 deaths per year related to asthma, 840 heat-related deaths and 1,300 ozone-related deaths, the fight against global warming pollution is a key provision in guaranteeing the health of New Yorkers," said Marc Brammer, executive director of New York Climate Rescue.
Con Ed's Kevin Burke also sits on the prestigious board of directors. In the past, the company has been assailed for contributing to pollution in the Bronx. And although it has facilities there, it recently unveiled an "environmentally friendly" substation in the Mott Haven section. It is too early to determine it's effect on the already burdened community. But given it's past performance, one must remain skeptical.
In part two of HIJACKING ASTHMA, we will discuss the economic effect on those who would pay the price of congestion tax.
Asthma has been the scourge of poor communities such as the Bronx for years. It is with suspicion that the Partnership has hijacked this cause. They were loudly silent when community activist groups called for a reduction of trucks and waste transfer facilities added to an already burdened community. The Bronx has the highest asthma rate in the country. The Partnership for New York has spent $1 million to advocate Bloomberg's campaign for congestion pricing.
Some business leaders feel that congestion pricing is good for business. It will help restaurants, taxi and ferry service and the folks who maintain and manufacture the scanning devices necessary to enforce the congestion charge. But the Partnership has failed in policing it's own members environmental faux pas. We begin with the Alcoa Corporation, a member of the board of directors.
Environmental record according to the University of Massachusetts' Political Economy Research Institute. Alcoa is one of the top ten most toxic companies in the country, producing 9,884,267 pounds of toxic chemicals in 2002 alone.
[1] Since 1987, state and federal regulators have cited Alcoa for more than forty-seven pollution violations.
[2] In 2002, Alcoa paid half a million dollars in fines at its Indiana plant in order to settle lawsuits charging it evaded water pollution regulations.
[3] Under the controversial grandfather provisions of the Texas Clean Air Act, Alcoa has been exempt from installing up to date pollution control devices and submitting to health-impact studies.
[4] President Bush appointed former Alcoa Chair and CEO Paul O'Neill Treasury Secretary of the United States in his first administration.
Then there is Energy Nuclear Northeast, the folks who are responsible for the Indian Point Nuclear Reactor. Aka Entergy that sits on the board of directors.
Contact: Lisa Rainwater van Suntum 914-478-4501 x 221 Darcy Casteleiro 914-478-4501 x 239
For Immediate Release 4-18-2006
RIVERKEEPER NOTIFIES ENTERGY NUCLEAR NORTHEAST OF INTENT TO SUE FOR VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL TOXIC WASTE LAW AT INDIAN POINT
***
Environmental Watchdog Group Takes Action As Radioactive Cocktail Continues to Leach into Hudson River and Groundwater, Violating Federal Environmental Law
Tarrytown, N.Y. Today Riverkeeper, the Tarrytown-based environmental organization, celebrating its 40th year of protecting the Hudson River and the watershed from polluters, announced its intent to sue Entergy Nuclear Northeast for violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
This federal statute requires operators of industrial facilities to notify the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) when they discover a leak of hazardous substances, such as radioactive isotopes, from their facility and to remediate the environmental damage in a timely manner. Entergy Nuclear failed to notify EPA when they discovered the leak of contaminated water from the Indian Point 2 spent fuel pool, thereby avoiding the involvement of EPA in the leak investigation and remediation process.
Croton residents Gary Shaw and Charlie Kane are co-plaintiffs in this pending litigation. Under the citizen suit provisions of RCRA, Riverkeeper must notify the defendant sixty days prior to filing suit.
Let us not forget Keyspan that is also on the board of directors of the Partnership
July 26, 2005American Lung Association of New York State Environmental Advocates of New York Hudson River Sloop Clearwater New York Climate Rescue New York Public Interest Research Group Renewable Energy Long Island:
NORTHEASTERN POWER COMPANIES TARGETED FOR DISPROPORTIONATE GLOBAL WARMING POLLUTION NRG Energy, Dynegy Top Two Polluting Companies in the Northeast, Report Shows
Albany, NY - A new report More Heat than Light: Global Warming Pollution from the Northeast’s Dirtiest Power Producers released today by environmental groups found that a small number of the northeast’s dirtiest power companies are responsible for a disproportionate amount of power sector global warming pollution. The report also found that a majority, six of the top ten biggest emitting power plants are in New York.
The region’s ten dirtiest power companies emitted 64 percent of the global warming pollution while producing only 33 percent of the region’s energy.
While Keyspan is fourth among the ten worst polluting companies in the report, its Boston office signed a letter to Massachusetts Governor Romney supporting the regional global warming pollution cap on power plants. Groups stated that this generally put them a bit ahead of the curve of other power plant owners and encourages them to reduce the emissions at their New York plants. The Northport plan on Long Island and the Ravenswood facility in Queens were among the regions top ten emitters of global warming pollution.
“There’s no time to lose in tackling global warming, and the biggest polluters must clean up.” said Christine Vanderlan, global warming program director with Environmental Advocates of New York. “Governor Pataki needs to require them to cut carbon dioxide emissions now.”
The report also analyzed plant-by-plant data and found that the 50 dirtiest power plants in the region emitted 80 percent of the sector’s global warming pollution while only producing 45 percent of the region’s energy. There are 188 facilities that contributed to the region’s electricity pool in 2004. Twenty-two of the 50 dirtiest plants, or 44% were located in New York. Six of those facilities were in the top ten.
"With New York City facing deteriorating air quality (3rd worst in the nation) with over 200 deaths per year related to asthma, 840 heat-related deaths and 1,300 ozone-related deaths, the fight against global warming pollution is a key provision in guaranteeing the health of New Yorkers," said Marc Brammer, executive director of New York Climate Rescue.
Con Ed's Kevin Burke also sits on the prestigious board of directors. In the past, the company has been assailed for contributing to pollution in the Bronx. And although it has facilities there, it recently unveiled an "environmentally friendly" substation in the Mott Haven section. It is too early to determine it's effect on the already burdened community. But given it's past performance, one must remain skeptical.
In part two of HIJACKING ASTHMA, we will discuss the economic effect on those who would pay the price of congestion tax.
Throwing Entergy in with that pack of stinking smokers makes no sense. Entergy alleviates asthma in the region. The Indian Point plant emits nothing at all. Even the tiny trace amount of radioactivity was found in solid rock, and not in the air, or the river. It is buried for all time, it is at the lower limits of detectability, Entergy found it by itself during a cleanup, and Mr. Shaw's frivolous lawsuit is bogus posturing.
ReplyDeleteEntergy saves lives, when it comes to Asthma.
For averting asthma in children, try this: Assiduously cleanse your domicile of insects. Cockroach bodies & egg sacs have been found to directly inflame children's lungs in an immune response, by way of a dander released as they decay. Avoid smoking, tobacco, or anything else , within the home. Clean up all dirt which might form a haven for the stachybotris mold. Avoid allowing obesity in your children, which also predisposes to asthma. Avoid pets, which directly cause the immune responses of asthma. Encourage sports activity, and discourage sedentary pursuits.
ReplyDeleteAutomobile, especially bus & truck diesel exhaust, concentrate at street level. Fumes produced by fossil power plants in the area are generally released 500 feet in the air (from stacks) where they join upper air streams, and move out to sea. Therefore the target of your asthma campaign ought to be the carting companies, the municipal bus companies, the taxicabs, and individual drivers, the perpetrators who ARE causing local asthma, not some eminently hate-able corporations, who are not actually culpable.
However, your one true local friend in the anti-asthma fight has got to be Entergy, who prevents hundreds of tons per day of toxic emissions, by running its pristine and emissionless Indian Point nuclear plant.
It looks like your Blog has been hijacked by some very well-tutored anti-corporate activism types, who have misled you on facts.
Better check it out.