New Hampshire Nature Notes
by Eric Orff
New Hampshire’s Outdoor Businesses, Sporting Clubs and Guides Urge Congress to Protect Clean Air
Wednesday 06/08/2011
New Hampshire’s Outdoor Businesses, Sporting Clubs and Guides Urge Congress to Protect Clean Air
Congress should prevent rollbacks of key wildlife protections
Concord, NH (June 7, 2011) – 50 members of New Hampshire’s Outdoor Businesses, Sporting Clubs, and Guides have joined together to oppose efforts to weaken one of our nation’s most critical health and environmental protections. Nationally, more than 300 groups from across the U.S. are calling on Congress to allow the Environmental Protection Agency to hold polluters accountable and back off House and Senate attacks on the Clean Air Act.
Jack Belanger, President of Pointer Fish and Game Club, one of the largest outdoors club in New Hampshire, said his club fully supports the letter. “The Clean Air act has done the job in the past of reducing pollution such as acid rain and smog that threatens fish and wildlife and their habitats. Now we need the Clean Air Act to tackle our mercury problem”
The airborne toxics that EPA wants to reduce spew out of smokestacks ,and much of it lands here in New Hampshire and contaminates our waters,” said Eric Orff, a New Hampshire Wildlife Biologist. “25% of the fresh water fish tested in New Hampshire in 2010 exceeded safe mercury levels. We know the source of mercury, we have the technology to fix the problem - what we need is the will in Congress to protect our air and water.
The Clean Air Act requires EPA to issue air quality standards for pollutants that harm human health and the environment, by limiting pollutants from industrial facilities, power plants and vehicle tailpipes. Recently, several U.S. senators and representative have introduced bills to handcuff, block, or delay EPA’s efforts to reduce carbon, mercury, and toxic air pollution.
Curbing EPA’s authority to cut greenhouse gas emissions has been a major focus of some in Congress. Last month the Senate blocked four amendments aimed at disabling EPA’s initiatives to curb climate change. Earlier this year, the National Wildlife Federation issued a “game changers” study, reporting that America’s remarkable storehouse of wildlife is threatened by the “double whammy” of climate change and toxic air pollutants.
The unique partnership of America’s sportsmen and women, ranging from guides to hunters, fly shop owners to foresters, and resort managers to birdwatchers in New Hampshire are calling on Congress to protect the landmark Clean Air Act and ensure “our outdoor legacy for future generations.”
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CONTACT: Eric Orff, eorff@aol.com, 603.731-0054
Dear NH Senator/Representative:
On behalf of the undersigned organizations and businesses, and the millions of Americans who enjoy and depend on our wildlife and natural resources, we strongly oppose any effort to weaken the Clean Air Act, one of our nation’s most critical health and environmental protections. A bipartisan effort led to the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1970, marking a turning point in American history when it became unacceptable for industries to dump their pollution into our air. Sportsmen and women from across the country united and played a vital role in passing this landmark legislation.
The Clean Air Act has a long history of success in reducing pollution such as acid rain and smog that threatens fish and wildlife and their habitats. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is poised to cut pollution that causes toxic mercury contamination and set standards to limit carbon pollution. As hunters and anglers, we know how widespread mercury is in our environment, posing a danger to all who eat mercury-laden fish. Some NH fish tested for mercury had the highest readings of any fish tested in North America. Moose and deer livers are unfit for human consumption in NH due to heavy metals leached into their foods by acid rain. Mink tested in NH were also laden with mercury. Regulating mercury and cutting carbon pollution will help protect our long standing investment in our outdoor heritage.
America’s hunters, anglers, wildlife watchers and the 79 billion dollar industry that supports them are glad to see long overdue action to reduce mercury pollution and put limits on carbon pollution. Over $500,000,000 dollars are spent in NH each year by these outdoor enthusiasts. This unique partnership, formed in the 19th century, continues to be at the heart of conserving wildlife. We strongly urge you to prevent any Congressional roll back of the Clean Air Act, ensuring our outdoor legacy for future generations.
Sincerely,
300 Archery
Andover Fish and Game Club
Belknap County Fish and Game Association
Brian's Archery Shop
Carrol County Fish and Game and Shooting Club
Curt Golder's Angling Adventures
Dave's Taxidermy
Fish Tales Taxidermy
Frenchey's Bait and Tackle
Friends of the Suncook River
Granite State Rod and Reel
Hampton Rod and Gun Club
Hillside Taxidermy
Horse Pond Fish and Game Club
Lake Side Bait and Tackle
M&D Archery, Dog Training and Guide LLC
Milford Archery
Morse Sporting Goods
NH Archery and Outdoor Sports
NH Bass Federation
NH Bear Hunters Association
NH Trappers Association
NH Wildlife Federation
Northern River Guides Service
Paul’s Bait Rig and Tackle
Pelletiers Sports Shop
Pointer Fish and Game Club
Rick Forge Outdoors, Inc.
Riley’s Sport Shop
Rise and Shine Retrievers
Robert D. Wyatts Guide Service
Screaming Wolf Taxidermy
Smith River Trading Post
Steve's Sport Shop
Suds N Soda Sport Shop
Sunrise Taxidermy
Temple Mountain Anglers Club
The Family Barber and Bait Shop
The Fish'n Shanty
The Sportsmen's Den
TNT Guide Service
Trout Unlimited, Ammomoosuc River Chapter
Trout Unlimited, Basil Woods Chapter
Trout Unlimited, Great Bay Chapter
Trout Unlimited, Merrimack River Valley
Trout Unlimited, Monadnock Chapter
Trout Unlimited, NH Council
Trout Unlimited, Pemigewassett River Chapter
Trout Unlimited, Saco River Chapter
Wildlife Sports & Taxidermy
