Call For Cleaner Power As New Study Shows Pollution's Dangers

Following release of a Columbia University study which showed that unborn children are exposed to the dangers of air pollution, Assemblymember Michael Gianaris renewed his call for modernizing power generators so that they produce clean energy.

Noting the Columbia study found that fetuses exposed to air pollution in the womb are almost three times as likely to have mental deficiencies than those that are not exposed, Gianaris stated: "This report again highlights the need for power companies to reduce pollution in our neighborhood by replacing [their plants] with clean equipment. The last thing we need is for children who already suffer from high rates of asthma to start falling behind academically because they live close to power plants."

Gianaris' district, covering Astoria and Long Island City, has the highest concentrations of power plants in the country and produces about 60 percent of the power used daily in New York City.

Gianaris (D) is one of the leaders in the state legislature in efforts to improve air quality by modernizing old and obsolete power plants throughout New York state. His Clean Energy Act provides a way for power companies to upgrade their facilities and sharply reduce emissions and benefit financially in the process.

Gianaris has also brought lawsuits against uncooperative power generating companies and forced the New York Power Authority to agree to close the Charles Poletti Power Project in Astoria, which was the largest polluter in New York state.

Gianaris said the Columbia U. study compared the learning ability of 183 three-year-olds with the level of pollutants they were exposed to before birth. The 42 children exposed to the highest amount of air pollution scored 5.7 points lower on cognitive tests than children exposed to lesser amounts of pollution.

According to the study, he said, these children are at risk for academic problems when they begin attending school.

-John Toscano Gianaris has brought lawsuits against uncooperative power generating companies and forced the New York Power Authority to agree to close the Charles Poletti Power Project in Astoria