星期二, 4月 12, 2022
AG HEALEY APPLAUDS EPA FOR PLAN TO REAFFIRM MERCURY AND AIR TOXICS STANDARDS
AG HEALEY APPLAUDS EPA FOR PLAN TO REAFFIRM MERCURY AND AIR TOXICS STANDARDS
Comments Led by AG Healey Support EPA’s Plan to Reverse the Trump Administration’s Illegal Finding Against Regulating Toxic Air Pollution from Power Plants
BOSTON — Attorney General Maura Healey led
a coalition of 23 states and cities in filing comments in support of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to reaffirm that it is
“appropriate and necessary” under the federal Clean Air Act to regulate mercury
and other toxic air pollution from coal- and oil-fired power plants. That determination,
first made over 20 years ago, is the basis for the 2012 Mercury and Air Toxics
Standards (MATS Rule), a landmark rule that has substantially reduced emissions
of especially dangerous pollutants that threaten some of our most vulnerable
communities, including children
and historically marginalized communities.
EPA’s plan reverses an unlawful Trump Administration rule from 2020 that withdrew EPA’s longstanding determination underpinning the MATS Rule and restores the agency’s prior finding. In comments filed with EPA on Monday, the coalition agrees with EPA’s proposal to revoke the 2020 rule, which lacked a reasoned basis and created a serious threat to public health. The comments point out that the MATS Rule has led to huge reductions in emissions of toxic pollutants that would otherwise expose communities to dirtier air and mercury-contaminated fish.
“The Trump Administration’s rule was an assault on the health of our most vulnerable and not based in any logic other than to benefit a small number of the nation’s worst polluters,” AG Healey said. “We commend EPA for prioritizing our children and communities who face the greatest risk from these pollutants, and we will continue to advocate for clean air and water.”
As the proposal describes, industry compliance with the rule has resulted in massive reductions in emissions of hazardous air pollutants including acid gases, mercury, and other toxic metals such as arsenic, chromium, and nickel. Since the MATS Rule was implemented, power-plant mercury emissions declined by 91 percent between 2010 and 2020, and acid gas and non-mercury metal emissions declined by 96 and 81 percent, respectively, between 2010 and 2017. Exposure to those toxins causes serious human health harms, such as pulmonary and cardiovascular disease, neurological injury, and cancer, and devastates wildlife and aquatic ecosystems.
Mercury in particular poses serious dangers to public
health, with especially harmful effects on developing fetuses, children, and
wildlife. Airborne mercury from power plants falls back to the ground, where it
is converted into methylmercury, a potent neurotoxin that accumulates in the
food chain, particularly in fish. A child exposed to methylmercury consumed by
her mother during pregnancy can suffer lifelong adverse developmental effects
including impaired attention, fine motor function, visual-spatial abilities,
and verbal memory. Mercury exposure is also linked to an increased risk of
diabetes, autoimmune dysfunction, and cardiovascular disease and death in
adults.
Power-plant mercury emissions are also a major contributor to mercury contamination of U.S. waterways, which have necessitated fish consumption advisories in all 50 states. Mercury pollution in lakes and rivers hurts subsistence fishing communities and local fishing economies and deprives residents across the country of the ability to enjoy recreational fishing and commercially harvested seafood.
The coalition’s comments point out that industry is in
full compliance with the
MATS Rule, which is providing enormous health, environmental, and economic
benefits to the residents of their states and local governments—and at a
fraction of the predicted cost and with little effect on electricity prices or
reliability.
EPA’s proposal estimates that the MATS Rule’s mercury reductions are providing
hundreds of millions of dollars a year in monetizable direct benefits across
the U.S. population by preventing IQ deficits in children and heart attack
deaths in adults. As the comments underscore, those substantial benefits are
only a small portion of the MATS Rule’s total benefits because most of the
adverse health and ecological harms the rule prevents are not readily
quantifiable. In addition to
effectively controlling mercury and other toxic metals—like arsenic and
chromium—MATS has led to a dramatic reduction in the fine particulate matter
emitted by power plants. Fine particulate matter is the largest environmental
health risk factor in the country and is linked to premature death, aggravated
asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other cardiopulmonary illnesses that
disproportionately affect many historically marginalized communities.
The MATS Rule represents the culmination of more than two decades of study and rulemaking by the EPA and was triggered by Congress’s 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act. In 2000, EPA determined that it was “appropriate and necessary” to regulate hazardous pollutants emitted from fossil-fuel-fired plants that are harmful to human and wildlife health. The agency found that fossil-fuel-fired power plants are the country’s largest source of hazardous air pollution, and that other existing provisions of the Clean Air Act would not adequately address those dangerous emissions. EPA reaffirmed that finding in 2012, relying on a growing body of scientific evidence.
In 2016, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Michigan v. EPA, EPA issued a supplemental finding reaffirming once again that it is “appropriate” to regulate power plant emissions when the costs of regulation are considered. In 2020, the Trump-era EPA reversed course, purporting to rescind that determination based on an incorrect interpretation of the Clean Air Act and in reliance on stale, inaccurate information that overstated the actual costs and vastly underestimated the benefits of reducing power plant air pollution. Today’s comments commend EPA for once again recognizing that overwhelming scientific evidence demonstrates that the enormous health and environmental benefits of the MATS Rule far outweigh the costs of compliance.
AG Healey’s Office has long advocated for strong nationwide standards for emissions from power plants. The office has played a lead role in the regulatory and judicial proceedings leading up to the adoption of the MATS Rule and since 2012 has been leading a coalition of states and local government in defending the rule from challenges. In July 2020, AG Healey led 24 states, counties, and cities in challenging in court EPA’s unlawful attempt to rescind its longstanding decision that regulation of toxic power-plant emissions was appropriate and necessary.
Today’s comments were led by AG Healey and joined by
the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa,
Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina,
Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District
of Columbia, as well as the the cities of Baltimore, Chicago and New York City.
星期一, 4月 11, 2022
波士頓慈濟為愛健走 募款支持醫療、教育志業
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| 波士頓慈濟人為愛健走，從Jamaica Pond 起步。(周菊子攝) |
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| 波士頓慈濟負責人長金滿(中)和鄧淑芳師姐(又二)等人招呼報到參加健行者。(周菊子攝) |
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| 鄧淑芳師姐(右)等人負責登記攤位。(周菊子攝) |
牙買加塘在翡翠項鍊保護區 (The Emerald Necklace
Conservancy)內，徒步徑道長1.5英里，一般估計30到40分鐘就可以走完。當天有一組人選擇走了60到80分鐘的路線。
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| 慈濟人文學校校長彭淑敏(右起)和吳明真校長，志工薛嘉瑋都來參加健行。(周菊子攝) |
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| 志工李麗珠帶大家做暖身操，小朋友也很認真。(周菊子攝) |
波士頓慈濟人還很週到的準備了飯糰，橘子，給參加健走的人充電。
慈濟波士頓聯絡處負責人長金滿表示，慈濟有的慈善、醫療、教育、人文等四大志業，長期需要善長仁翁的支持，也需要仁們加入慈濟的大家庭來一起推動。波士頓慈濟華埠社區服務站，以及5月14日的籌款拍賣會都希望有更多人支持。
查詢波士頓慈濟資訊可上網https://www.tzuchiboston.org/。
第126屆波士頓馬拉松賽3年後重回愛國者日舉行 估計將為大波士頓帶來2億元經濟收益
Boston Marathon® Returns to Patriots’ Day for First Time in Three Years
Oldest annual marathon injects more than $200 million into Greater Boston economy
BOSTON – The Boston Marathon returns to Patriots’ Day this year, marking the 126th running of the world’s oldest annual marathon. For the first time in three years, the 26.2-mile race will be held in April, bringing 30,000 athletes back to the Commonwealth in the pursuit of athletic excellence.
An annual rite of spring, Marathon Monday and associated events surrounding the Boston Marathon present an opportunity to showcase Boston’s array of cultural, historical and sports-related assets. From Patriots’ Day reenactments to morning baseball, the Boston Marathon is run against a distinctively Boston backdrop. Taken together, the magic of the Hopkinton-to-Boston event marks the onset of Boston’s peak visitor season.
Boston Marathon-related events, including the Boston Marathon Expo, Boston Marathon Fan Fest, and the B.A.A. 5K, inject tremendous visitor spending to the Greater Boston economy and annually bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to Greater Boston. In recent years, before the pandemic interrupted the April running of the Marathon, the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (GBCVB) estimated that the event injected approximately $200 million into the metropolitan economy.
Now the race is back in April and there will be 30,000 official participants, including runners from 122 countries and all 50 U.S. states. Global, national, and local media will cover the 126th Boston Marathon, providing supporters near and far with content celebrating this year’s event.
“The Boston Marathon truly represents the onset of our visitor season, which runs from April through October,” said Bureau President and CEO Martha J. Sheridan. “Having the Marathon back on Patriots’ Day is a boon to our city and our region. It is an iconic, international event that puts Boston on a global stage, serving as a spectacular springboard for our visitor economy as we enter our busiest months.”
“After a three-year stretch that saw the Boston Marathon move to a virtual format in 2020, then shift to a fall edition in October 2021, we are delighted to return to our traditional date of Patriots’ Day for the 126th running of the Boston Marathon,” said Tom Grilk, President and Chief Executive Officer of the B.A.A. “The B.A.A. looks forward to restoring back to a traditional Boston Marathon weekend, welcoming 30,000 participants, nearly 10,000 volunteers, and countless more supporters to what surely will be an exciting and memorable race day.”
This year, more than 9,800 volunteers will assist athletes on their journey from Hopkinton to Boston. Participants competing and raising funds for various charities and non-profit programs are anticipated to raise in excess of $30 million. For the 37th consecutive year, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon is John Hancock.
The Boston Marathon Expo will be located at the Hynes Convention Center from Friday, April 15, through Sunday, April 17. The Expo is widely regarded as the running industry’s premier expo for new products and features the city’s largest adidas Boston Marathon store. All Boston Marathon participants must claim their bib numbers for this year’s race at the Boston Marathon Expo.
Boston Marathon Fan Fest presented by Amazon also will be held from April 15 through April 17. Boston Marathon Fan Fest is a three-day festival on Copley Square Park featuring live music, activities, Boston Marathon champions panels, photo-ops, and more. Free and open to the public, Boston Marathon Fan Fest is the place to relax and soak in the spirit of Boston Marathon weekend.
The 2022 B.A.A. 5K will be run on Saturday, April 16, two days prior to the Boston Marathon. The B.A.A. 5K will feature 10,000 entrants racing a 3.1-mile course through Back Bay, starting and finishing at Boston Common. Following the B.A.A. 5K, the B.A.A. Invitational Mile will showcase mile and 1K races for middle school, high school, and professional athletes on Boylston Street. Saturday’s events conclude with the B.A.A. Relay Challenge, a student-athlete focused event featuring more than 20 middle school teams from the Greater Boston community.
The Boston Athletic Association is committed to a world where all people can access and benefit from running and an active lifestyle.
麻州公共設施局籲民眾在戶外施工前先撥打電話 811
Department of Public Utilities Joins National Campaign to Raise Awareness of Safe Digging Practices
BOSTON — In recognition of April as Dig Safe Awareness Month, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is joining with other states and utility companies around the country to remind excavators, contractors, and residents to dig safely and call 811 before starting any outdoor digging projects. 811 is the line for “Dig Safe,” which is a nonprofit organization that notifies gas, electric, telephone, and cable companies about the intended digging project. At no cost to the excavator, professional locators visit the requested dig site to mark the approximate locations of underground utility lines with flags, spray paint, or both.
“Utility lines are buried in the ground all around us on both public and private property, and sometimes these lines are only a few inches below the surface,” said Department of Public Utilities Chair Matthew Nelson. “Calling 811 is the best way to ensure a line won’t be hit when commencing a new project this year.”
State law requires calling 811 at least three days before digging is to start. Accidently striking an underground utility line can result in serious personal injury, property damage, and costly service disruptions for many. Additionally, failure to follow the provisions of the law and regulations can result in fines.
Excavations are the leading cause of damage to underground utility infrastructure. In 2021, there were 925 excavation-related damages to utility infrastructure in Massachusetts. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a call to 811. Examples of digging projects that require a call to 811 include installing a mailbox or fence, building a deck, installing a pool, and planting trees and shrubs.
For more information about 811 and safe digging practices, the public is encouraged to visit https://www.mass.gov/
紐英崙至孝篤親公所賀陳仕維當選僑務委員 波士頓市長吳弭親自到賀
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| 波士頓僑務委員陳仕維、鍾珮玲夫婦和嘉賓，以及胡炳超師傅的醒獅團合影。(周菊子攝) |
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| 波士頓新任僑務委員陳仕維、鍾佩玲夫婦，與2名兒子陳漢興，陳漢斌。(周菊子攝) |
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| 紐英崙至孝篤親公所主席陳文珊 (左起)，波士頓新任僑務委員陳仕維和公所元老陳建立(右) 歡迎波士頓市長吳弭(右二)到場。(周菊子攝) |
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| 紐英崙至孝篤親公所幹部敬酒，謝各界出席。(周菊子攝) |
當晚的慶祝會由武術大師宗親胡炳超代為培訓的安良醒獅團進場舞獅揭開序幕。紐英崙中華公所主席夫人陳秀珍，宗親陳鍾麗兒這2名中英文司儀，請紐英崙至孝篤親公所首名女主席陳文姍開場，致歡迎詞，紐英崙中華公所主席雷國輝等一眾嘉賓致詞，再由該公所元老陳建立介紹當晚主角陳仕維出場致詞。
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| 波士頓僑務委員陳仕維和麻州眾議員麥家威(Aaron Michlewitz)。(周菊子攝) |
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| 波士頓僑務委員陳仕維(左)和有武術宗師之譽的宗親胡炳超(右)。(周菊子攝) |
紐英崙中華公所主席雷國輝代表中華公所向北美舜裔公所和紐英崙至孝篤親公所致敬，致謝，指陳仕維是其宗親中的佼佼者，每逢社區有活動，陳仕維都積極參與，而且慷慨大方，行善不甘後人，積極支持非牟利機構，例如中華耆英會，中華頤養院，中華廣教學校，王氏青年會等等。陳仕維的當選波士頓僑務委員，不僅讓他為之驕傲，更感到與有榮焉。
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| 紐英崙中華公所主席雷國輝 (左起)和波士頓僑務委員陳仕維，波士頓市長吳弭， 波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮等人接受醒獅獻桔祝賀。(周菊子攝) |
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| 波士頓市長吳弭(Michelle Wu)和她的幕僚長朱為亭(Tiffany Chu)聯袂出席。(周菊子攝) |
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| 馬仕威樂隊和波士頓市長吳弭合影。(周菊子攝) |
在簡單隆重的儀式後，至孝篤親公所請出馬仕威樂隊表演，主唱蔡倩婷，陳裕逢和伍國光等人在梅錫銳與梅偉文兩兄弟及其他樂手的伴奏中演唱中英文，甚至台語歌曲。
根據中華民國僑務委員會新訂章程，僑務委員一任二年。波士頓地區現有2名僑務委員，來自台灣新僑社區的郭競儒，以及來自傳統僑社的陳仕維。
在波士頓地區曾任僑務委員者包括陳毓璇，黃鴻樞，黃炳鏐，莊明哲，方本仁，李隼三，王本仁，馬滌凡，陳家驊，蔣宗壬，梅錫銳等人。(更新版)
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| 紐英崙至孝篤親公所送上賀禮。 |
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| 中華書法會會長林卓培送上他親筆題字的圓盤一枚，以表祝賀。(周菊子攝) |
星期日, 4月 10, 2022
耆英3中有1死於失智症 紐英崙中華專協辦講座探討
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| 紐英崙中華專業人員講座探討失智症。 |
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| 亞裔婦女健康聯盟創辦人黃千姬。 |
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| 紐英崙中華專業人員協會會長林致中。 |
亞裔婦女健康聯盟最近還加入協助美國衛生署
(NIH)推廣「我們所有人
(All of Us)」行列，鼓勵亞裔參加研究調查，以協助研究者取得更全面的研究數據。
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| 紐英崙中華專業人員協會理事林思妤。 |
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| 哈佛大學退休教授李小玉。 |
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| 蔡燕中分享個人經驗。 |
失智症(Dementia)其實是很多症狀的統稱，包括記憶力減退和其他思維能力的改變，嚴重到讓人很難去做日常活動。老年痴呆症
(Alzheimer)是最常見的失智症，佔了60%到80%。總的來說失智症會隨時間惡化。
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| Sadie指台灣社會普遍還不重視失智症這類病症。 |
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| 老年痴呆症協會數據。 |
當晚的講座由紐英崙中華專業人員協會理事，曾主修護理的林思妤主持，出席者包括蔡燕中，李小玉，許祐湉，Sadie等人在討論環節發言熱絡，還分享各自的經驗。其中還有一人非常熱心的表示願意加入黃千姬的工作行列，為亞裔社區服務。
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