Clean Air in the News

As applications are submitted to build a new generation of polluting coal and nuclear power plants throughout the Southeast, a sense of urgency is propelling the work of the Canary Coalition and the annual Relay for Clean Air, set for Saturday, August 18.

According to Director Avram Friedman, membership in the Sylva-based organization has doubled over the past year in response to pending legislation and energy industry plans that would negatively impact air quality in the region.

“The Relay for Clean Air is an important message sent from citizens to government officials at the local, state and federal levels: There is nothing more important than clean air,” Friedman said. “All people depend upon clean air for good health, a healthy environment and a prosperous economy.”

The Canaray Coalition director said that government energy policies need to begin to reflect the urgency of the climate change and air pollution crisis. Energy efficiency, conservation and clean, renewable resources should begin replacing dirty fossil fuel and dangerously problematic nuclear non-renewable energy sources, he said.

The Relay for Clean Air has national impact and attracts media attention throughout the country because it takes place on the grounds of the two most visited and most polluted national parks in America – the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The Relay will begin at 6:15 a.m., Saturday morning, and consists of 37 sections, some for walkers, some for runners and some for bicycle riders. A “clean air now” flag is passed from one section to the next to cover the 100 miles from the Park’s Newfound Gap at the Tennessee-North Carolina border and along the Parkway to downtown Asheville.

This year, the Relay will end in the parking area on Biltmore Avenue above the French Broad Food Co-op at 8:30 p.m. Saturday night. Participants will be greeted with guest speakers, entertainment and refreshments, and music will be provided by Cooking with Quanta, a popular regional group.

For more information contact The Canary Coalition by telephone at 631-3447 or by e-mail at info@canarycoalition.org. Additional information is available online at www.canarycoalition.org.