The House of Representatives is currently considering a bill that would drastically cut funding for the Environmental Protection Agency and severely limit the agency’s ability to protect human health and the environment.

Known as the 2012 Interior-EPA Appropriations bill (H.R. 2584), it would delay critical clean air rules by more than a year and prevent the EPA from regulating toxic emissions from coal-fired power plants.

Our congressional delegation is generally pretty divided along party lines when it comes to major public health issues such as this – generally, Braley/Loebsack support the independence of the EPA and King/Latham oppose. Boswell is typically a swing vote. More below the fold if you are interested in taking action!

Iowans who care about water quality, mercury in our water, climate change, and generally about air quality need to take action now by urging Iowa’s congressional delegation to oppose H.R. 2584.

The bill proposes slashing the EPA budget by $1.5 billion, hampering the agency’s ability to implement clean air rules that will protect the public from harmful pollutants like mercury and arsenic, spur investment and create badly needed jobs.

Delaying these rules for just one year will lead to tens of thousands of premature deaths and hundreds of thousands of cases of respiratory illness that could be avoided. It also will delay the creation of an estimated 1.4 million jobs that will be needed to clean up the nation’s dirtiest power plants and build new, cleaner ones.

To urge your Congressman to oppose this harmful appropriations bill, visit www.supportcleanair.com and click on “Get Started.” An email will be provided for you and sent on your behalf.