TRENTON - Gov. James E. McGreevey on Tuesday asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to hold a public hearing in New Jersey on a proposed change to the Clean Air Act that the governor claims would harm the health of state residents.

In a letter to EPA Administrator Christie Whitman, McGreevey said power plants and other industries outside the state contribute more than a third of the pollution impairing the state's air quality. But changes to the so-called New Source Review provisions of the Clean Air Act would allow power plants outside the state to continue to avoid cleaning up their emissions, he said.

"I am greatly concerned because nothing less than the health of New Jerseyans is at stake," McGreevey wrote.

In addition, the changes would have an unfair economic impact on New Jersey power plants that have played by the rules and cleaned up their emissions, he said.

He reminded Whitman that as governor she joined a lawsuit to enforce New Source Review against out-of-state plants.

"For these reasons and more, it is vital for you to hear from us directly," McGreevey wrote. "I therefore respectfully ask you to hold a public hearing in New Jersey, and that you chair that hearing."

EPA officials were unable to immediately say whether a New Jersey hearing is possible.