Utah Moms for Clean Air is extremely disappointed with the EPA’s new ozone standard. In spite of overwhelming scientific evidence and the unanimous advice of its own expert panel to set a more stringent standard, the EPA chose to do otherwise. According to the Clean Air Act, the EPA’s sole consideration in setting air quality standards is the protection of the public’s health. The EPA has acted in blatant disregard of this mandate and the new standard fails to go far enough to protect the public, especially our children and those who are predisposed to respiratory illnesses.
Last summer, members of Utah Moms for Clean Air, educated hundreds of Utah’s citizens about Utah’s ozone problem, how it impacts their health, and what they can do about it. As ozone season approaches, we are readying ourselves to do this again. Yet, no matter how hard we work at educating the public, it will never be enough. Today, we needed the support of the federal government to provide an ozone standard that adequately protects the public’s health. Unfortunately, they failed us. During the recent 2008 Session of the Utah Legislature, we saw our State’s Representatives and Senators take it upon themselves to craft legislation in areas inadequately addressed by federal law. Utah Moms for Clean Air would like to call upon our State’s lawmakers to do the same in 2009, this time focusing on cleaning up our air.
Michelle Hoffman, MD, MPH
Utah Moms for Clean Air Co-Founder
***************
Press Release from American Academy of Pediatrics
March 12, 2008
EPA’S NEW OZONE STANDARD STILL LEAVES CHILDREN’S HEALTH AT RISK
Statement by American Academy of Pediatrics President Renée R. Jenkins, MD, FAAP
“The Environmental Protection Agency has missed a real opportunity to protect children’s health with today’s decision to reduce the ozone standard from its current 0.08 parts per million (ppm) to 0.075 ppm. While any reduction in air pollution is a step in the right direction, EPA’s new ozone standard—the first in a decade—fails to go far enough.
“The science is clear: Ozone pollution harms children. Critical parts of a child’s lungs don’t develop until after birth and the lungs continue to develop well into adolescence. In addition, children breathe in more air pollution than adults simply by the fact that children breathe at a more rapid rate, spend more time outdoors and have higher levels of physical activity than adults. Ozone exposure can cause short-term health problems including shortness of breath, chest pain, wheezing, coughing and inflammation of the lungs, and has been linked to such chronic health problems as asthma.
“The AAP, along with other health and environmental experts—including the EPA’s own Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee—had urged the EPA to lower the ozone standard to below 0.070 ppm at least, and preferably to 0.060 ppm. That would have, in effect, required cities across America to scrub pollutants out of the air and provide a healthier environment for children of all ages, ranging from infants with barely developed lungs taking their first breath to adolescents competing in sports.
“Our children deserve clean air. The AAP, which represents 60,000 pediatricians, will continue to advocate for lower air pollution standards so we can give our children a healthy start and a healthy future.”
# # #
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
Contact:
Macon Morehouse (202-724-3303; mmorehouse@aap.org)
Priscilla Ring (202-724-3304; pring@aap.org)