Clean Air News

Philadelphia, PA—At a public hearing in Philadelphia today, residents and public health advocates called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen its proposed air quality standards for ozone “smog” pollution. 

“Ozone can harm even the healthiest lungs,” said Nathan Willcox, Energy & Clean Air Advocate for PennEnvironment.  “EPA needs to significantly strengthen the national air quality standards for ozone so we can all breathe easier.”

Willcox was one of over 60 witnesses who testified at the EPA hearing, where public health advocates described the health effects of ozone exposure, particularly on children, and highlighted the scientific consensus on the need to substantially strengthen the health-based air quality standards for ozone.  Ozone is a powerful pollutant that can burn our lungs and airways, causing health effects ranging from coughing and wheezing to asthma attacks and even premature death.  Children, senior citizens, and people with lung disease are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of ozone. 

PennEnvironment convened a press event outside of the hearing, at which they were joined by speakers from the American Lung Association, Physicians for Social Responsibility, the American Public Health Association, the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, Clean Air Council, Pennsylvania State Representative Tony Payton, Jr., an aide from the office of U.S. Representative Allyson Schwartz and the McCloskeys, a New Jersey family living with asthma.

“Outdoor air quality issues present daunting challenges, particularly at the beginning and end of the school year,” said Natalie McCloskey, mother of six children, three of whom have asthma.  “How can you concentrate when you can't breathe?  On bad days, the kids are just trying to make it through their day.  How much can they be getting out of it when all they want to do is get out there and be able to breathe?” 

“Families like the McCloskeys need EPA to protect them from this dangerous and widespread pollutant,” said Paul G. Billings, Vice President, National Policy & Advocacy for the American Lung Association.  “The Clean Air Act is a promise to the American people of clean, healthy air—a covenant to take the steps to remove the poisons from the air to levels that no longer harm health with an adequate margin of safety.”

“Stronger federal standards are important to set the tone for what our priorities are for our air quality,” said Pennsylvania State Representative Tony Payton, Jr. (North Philadelphia).  “And as an asthma sufferer myself, air quality has an added personal significance for me.”

“Ozone pollution unnecessarily risks lives and jeopardizes the health of our children and senior citizens,” said U.S. Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz.  “That’s why the Environmental Protection Agency must follow its own scientific advisers and establish an ozone standard that will protect the health and lives of Pennsylvanians.”

“I have patients—adults and children—right now who feel that they are in charge of their health,” said Dr. James Plumb with Physicians for Social Responsibility.  “They have immunized their children, stopped smoking; use their inhalers correctly, follow their diets, take their medications—and yet they remain at risk for symptom exacerbation, more frequent hospitalizations and premature death. And they have absolutely no choice in the quality of the air they breathe.”

“Ground level ozone can cause serious respiratory problems,” said Dr. Walter Tsou with the American Public Health Association.  “Scientific studies support tougher air quality standards to protect the public’s health.”

“From the perspective of the faith community, we have a strong moral obligation to set standards that protect all people,” said Rev. Sandra Strauss with the Pennsylvania Council of Churches.  “It is simply wrong to sacrifice the health of our most vulnerable citizens by setting a standard that does not go far enough, placing business and profits over the health and welfare of individuals.”

“EPA must heed the advice of its science advisors and tighten the national health standard for ozone,” said Joe Minott, Executive Director of the Clean Air Council.  “The American people are sending EPA a clear message today—do your job and protect public health!”

Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA must set air quality standards at levels that protect public health, including sensitive populations, with an adequate margin of safety.  In 1997, EPA set the national air quality standard for ozone at 0.08 parts per million (ppm) averaged over an eight hour period.  A decade of scientific studies has found health impacts of breathing ozone at levels lower than the current air quality standard.  

In 2006, the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, a group of expert outside scientists who advise the EPA Administrator on air quality standards, unanimously recommended strengthening the ozone standard to within the range of 0.060 to 0.070 ppm.  PennEnvironment, the American Lung Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Thoracic Society, American Public Health Association, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, and many other public health experts have recommended a standard of 0.060 ppm.  On June 20, however, EPA proposed strengthening the national air quality standard for ozone to within a range of 0.070 to 0.075 ppm, weaker than what the agency’s scientific advisors say is necessary to protect public health. 

Oil companies, electric utilities, and other powerful interests that would be affected by stronger ozone standards are lobbying hard to convince EPA to keep the ozone standards as weak as possible or not change them at all.  EPA is accepting public comments on its proposal through October 9 and must issue a final ozone standard by March 2008.