WHEREAS, The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the responsibility to periodically review the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to ascertain if such standards are sufficiently protective of human health; and
WHEREAS, The EPA has proposed changes in the NAAQS relative to ozone and particulate matter which will make attainment of these new standards extremely difficult; and
WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island, through its citizens, businesses, local governments, the Genereal Assembly and its regulatory agencies, has worked with commitment and dedication to reduce air pollution and to meet the 1999 deadline for attainment of clean air standards; and
WHEREAS, The EPA is proposing to scrap the standards set by them for states, counties and local communities to achieve attainment of clean air and to substitute new, more restrictive standards which will make attainment more difficult if not impossible; and
WHEREAS, If the new standards for ozone and particulates are imposed, the entire state of Rhode Island, which is making great strides in meeting EPA's current standards, would have to impose even more stringent and costly controls on residents, local businesses and all levels of government; and
WHEREAS, EPA's own Advisory Committee of scientists recently concluded the new standards are not anymore likely to improve public health than existing standards; and
WHEREAS, Lowering the NAAQS for ozone and particulates may well preclude Rhode Island from ever achieving attainment, thus imposing significant and long lasting economic, administrative and regulatory burdens on the citizens of Rhode Island, their business and their governments; and
WHEREAS, Rhode Island regulatory agencies would be forced to devote substantial resources in developing a new State Implementation Plan (SIP) if the NAAQS standards are significantly revised by the EPA; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations does hereby respectfully request and urge the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in support of its proposed NAAQS changes for ozone and particulates, to reveal the potential incremental health impacts and economic consequences of such changes, if any; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Environmental Protection Agency is respectfully requested and urged, on behalf of all the people of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, to detail the unfunded mandates and/or other administrative burdens which a reduction in the NAAQS for ozone and particulates would impact on State and local governments, the economy and the citizens of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Ms. Carol Browner, Administrator, USEPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460 and the members of the Rhode Island delegation to the United States Congress.
