At least 38 states have experienced unhealthful levels of smog
(technically ozone) already this year through May, according to
the Clean Air Watch Smog Watch Survey. That’s a significant
increase from this time last year, when only 24 states had
experienced smog problems. Please note the list of states below.
This widespread pollution problem calls into question the wisdom
of legislation, expected to be introduced tomorrow by Senator
Richard Lugar (R-Indiana) to suspend new pollution controls for
coal-fired electric power plants, one of the biggest sources of
smog. The Lugar plan, as outlined on his website http://lugar.se
nate.gov/energy/legislation/pdf/PracticalEnergyPlan.pdf, could
bring grave consequences: not only continuing smog, but also
sulfur dioxide, deadly fine-particle soot and toxic mercury and
other dangerous pollutants. We have not seen the actual language
of the Lugar legislation, but the summary suggests amnesty for
the biggest polluters – and giving them the right to continue
fouling the air