Carper Praises EPA’s “Good Neighbor” Plan to Reduce Cross-State Smog

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today released the following statement on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s ‘Good Neighbor’ proposal to reduce ozone-forming emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and help states meet the 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

“Similar to secondhand smoke, air pollution has negative health impacts in communities across the country. That is especially true for those of us in downwind states like Delaware, where over 90 percent of our air pollution comes from out of state. When power plants and other industrial sources in upwind states pollute, we breathe in that air, and our health and economy suffer as a result. That is why I’m pleased EPA put forward its ‘Good Neighbor’ plan for reducing ozone pollution. This science-based proposal prioritizes Americans’ health over polluters and is consistent with the ‘Golden Rule’ — to treat our neighbors the way we would like to be treated — a value that I believe we should all aspire to uphold in life.”