Senators Stabenow and Levin Vote to Protect Public Health

Media Releases

Environment Michigan

DETROIT – To the disappointment of major polluters, today the U.S. Senate defeated Kentucky Senator Rand Paul’s bid to allow more soot and smog-forming pollution from power plants (SJ Res 27).

Sen. Paul’s legislation would have put 1,405 lives at risk every year in Michigan alone. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin stood up for public health and voted against this dangerous proposal.

“Today, the Senate voted to protect Michiganders’ lives by rejecting more pollution in our air,” said Environment Michigan’s Jessica Surma.  “Families in Michigan can feel proud that Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin sided with us over polluters by rejecting this sweeping assault on our health.”

The legislation that was defeated sought to block the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recently finalized Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, which requires upwind power plants to reduce soot and smog-forming pollution so people in downwind states can breathe cleaner air.

Exposure to soot and smog can lead to asthma, heart attacks, and premature death. The legislation was particularly dangerous because it would have barred EPA from ever implementing a similar standard to reduce harmful power plant emissions that cross state borders.

“Today Michigan’s Senators stood up for Americans’ health and well-being,” said Surma. “We applaud Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin for their votes, and we will be counting on them to continue to vote in favor of clean air and public health in the future.”