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EPA Administrator Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Adirondack Council

Release Date: 08/04/2005
Contact Information: Eryn Witcher 202-433-4355

August 4, 2005 - From a scenic vista overlooking Lake Champlain, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Stephen L. Johnson today joined the Adirondack Council in celebrating its 30th year of protecting the environmental health of Adirondack Park. The Administrator lauded the organization as a steadfast advocate for the six million-acre park, and highlighted EPA’s involvement in cleaning the nation’s air.

“President Bush and I are committed to protecting our natural treasures like the Adirondacks, and providing all our citizens with healthier, more breathable air,” said Administrator Johnson. “Modeled after the successful Acid Rain Program, the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) will cut utility pollution that travels beyond state boundaries. While this is an important first step, the President’s Clear Skies initiative remains the best, permanent solution to deliver immediate, substantial reductions in pollution for Adirondack Park and the rest of the nation.”

CAIR is an important milestone in the nation’s progress toward cleaner air. When fully implemented, CAIR will reduce SO2 emissions in 28 eastern states and the District of Columbia by more than 70 percent and NOx emissions by more than 60 percent from 2003 levels. This will result in more than $100 billion in health and visibility benefits per year by 2015 and will substantially reduce premature mortality in the eastern United States. These benefits will continue to grow each year with further implementation.

Clear Skies legislation would provide a permanent nation-wide solution resulting in immediate, substantial reduction in pollution and help ensure that energy costs remains stable and affordable. Enactment of Clear Skies would also reduce time-consuming court battles and legal challenges often associated with rulemakings.

The Adirondack Council is a not-for-profit environmental group that has been working since 1975 to ensure the ecological integrity of the Adirondack Park, the largest park in the contiguous United States.

The Adirondack Park covers one-fifth of NewYork State and is nearly three times the size of Yellowstone National Park. More than half of the park is private land, devoted principally to hamlets, forestry, agriculture and open-space recreation. Acid rain, caused by the reaction of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide in the atmosphere, has affected the Park for nearly a century.

For more information about EPA’s Clean Air Interstate Rule, visit https://www.epa.gov/cair/. For more information about Clear Skies, go to https://www.epa.gov/clearskies/. For more information about the Adirondack Park and The Adirondack Council visit http://www.adirondackcouncil.org/.