53 



ENVIRONMENTAL 

 DCPENSS FUND 



Rocty Moiaaai* Offict 



TESTIMONY OF CHRISTINE L. SHAVER jM^' 

 SENIOR ATTORNEY, ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND ( 303oS(M90i 

 BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, Fax m-msosz 

 ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, 

 COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS 

 U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 



APRIL 29, 1994 



Mr. Chairman, my nam* ia Christina L. Shavar. I am a Sanior 

 Attorney vith tha Environmental Defense Fund (EOF) . Thank you for 

 inviting ma to taatify today. EDF has baan actively involved in 

 efforts to protect national parka and wilderness areas from the 

 damaging effects of air pollution since 1981. I have represented 

 EDF in these efforts aince 1992, but I have been actively involved 

 in preserving the integrity of natural , scenic and cultural 

 resources for almost 20 yeara. 



Air Pollution continues to Plaque Our National Parka and 

 Wilderness Areaa 



Air pollution can damage and deatroy tha very resources that 

 national parka and wilderness areas ware established to protect. 

 Unfortunately, tha evidence continues to document that that is 

 exactly what is happening. Air pollution shrouds spectacular 

 scenic views, acidifies surface waters, leaches essential nutrients 

 from tha soils, injures vegetation, threatens the ecological 

 integrity of natural systems, and damages our Nation's cultural 

 reaourcae. Efforts to repair the damage and ensure tha long-term 

 protection of these resources have bean hampered severely by weak 

 leadership from tha federal and state government, ineffective 

 regulatory toola, and woefully inadequate financial and human 

 •resources. 



Eadjjaj T«(i»r«hin i« Hiadad 



Tha Clean Air Act givaa Federal land managers (FLKs) an 

 affirmative responsibility to protect air quality related valuea 

 (AQRVs) from tha adverse impacts of air pollution, but tha FLMe 

 have no real authority to effect tha necessary remedial and 

 preventive aotlons. Tha EPA and state agenciea, which together 

 have tha authority to address air pollution problama in national 



Jarks and wilderness areas, have failed to exercise that authority 

 n any meaningful way. In short, there ia no dedication to. protect 

 these resourcaa on tha part of those who baar tha responsibility 

 to protect them. Protecting our national treasures and heritage 

 has never required that wa sacrifice economic growth, but it does 

 require a dadicetion to protaetinq thaaa resources from air 



Matronal Hiadfuanm 



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