December 17, 2007

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada today announced a victory in securing a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study into the adequacy of the current classification of Great Basin National Park as a Class II area under the Clean Air Act. Reid is confident the study will find that the Park should be reclassified as Class I according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s clean air standards, thus securing greater protection of air quality and visibility.“I am pleased that the GAO will look into the air quality at the Great Basin National Park. This is an important step toward ensuring that the Park remains pristine for future generations.   When the investigation is finished and the Park's classification has been changed, this will be one more roadblock to those who wish to foul Nevada’s air with the construction of dirty coal power plants.”