ALBANY — President Bush’s environmental chief declared Friday that the administration’s acid rain plan would speed recovery of the Adirondack Mountains — a claim that split the environmental community.

Bush’s “Clear Skies” plan would cut sulfur and nitrogen emissions from Midwest power plants about 70 percent more than levels set in the 1990 Clean Air Act, said Christine Whitman, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Those chemicals are the primary components of acid rain, which has severely damaged lakes in the Adirondack and Catskill mountain areas.

More than 500 of the Adirondacks’ 2,800 lakes are now too acidified to support most fish and other aquatic life. The 
damaged lakes are about as acidic as orange juice.The Clean Air Act was supposed to reverse the trend, but it 
hasn’t.

“No question we’re still facing problems (because) we’re not seeing reductions as fast as we want them,” Whitman said after a tour of a state university atmospheric research center.

With Bush’s plan, “we will see a real improvement not only in acid rain but also smog,” which is linked to asthma and other bronchial problems, Whitman said.

But some environmental groups called Bush’s plan a “smoke screen” or “Clear Lies.” John Stouffer of the Sierra Club complained it creates a giant loophole by no longer requiring old power plants to meet tougher pollution standards whenever they are refurbished.

The Adirondack Council, however, said Bush’s plan is a plus. The Council also dismissed a bill championed by other 
environmental groups that would cut sulfur and nitrogen emissions about 87 percent as not politically viable.

“No matter what compromise is reached in Washington, the faster the action, the better,” said Bernard Melewski, 
attorney for the Adirondack Council. “That’s the message, Administrator Whitman, that we need you to take back to 
Washington: we need action.”