EPA's Smog Proposal Falls Short of Protecting the Public

CLEAN AIR TASK FORCE * AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION * CONSERVATION LAW FOUNDATION * EARTHJUSTICE * ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE * NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL * SOUTHERN ALLIANCE FOR CLEAN ENERGY * SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER *
U.S. PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP

For Immediate Release: August 1, 2003   Press Contact: Cat Lazaroff, 202-667-4500 x213

EPA?s Smog Proposal Falls Short of Protecting the Public
Stronger measures needed to reduce ozone pollution

Washington DC?The latest federal proposal promising to help clear up the nation?s smog and soot problems will fall far short of its goal, environmental groups said today. A coalition of groups is submitting formal comments later today criticizing the Environmental Protection Agency?s (EPA) proposed ?options? for implementing the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. The groups said the EPA proposal would actually weaken protections against smog.

Despite increasing evidence that long term exposure to lower levels of ozone can cause dangerous and sometimes permanent lung problems, the EPA is proposing to give polluted metropolitan areas more time and more loopholes to avoid taking the steps needed to protect public health.

?What we need is clean air, but what the EPA is offering is more delays and more opportunities to game the system,? said Ann Weeks, Legal Director at CATF. ?EPA was given the task of implementing strong new ozone standards, and they?ve come back with proposals that would leave the public breathing more smog?not less.?

In 1997, EPA put in place a more protective 8-hour ozone standards after scientific evidence demonstrated that the existing 1-hour ozone standard (in place since 1979) does not sufficiently protect children, asthmatics, and those active outdoors from the adverse health effects caused by ozone smog. These health effects?which result not only from exposure to high levels of ozone over shorter time periods, but also from longer exposure to lower levels of ozone?include decreased lung function, respiratory ailments, asthma attacks, hospital admissions and emergency room visits for respiratory problems, inflammation of the lungs, and possible long-term lung damage.

The EPA has finally published a proposal to implement the 8-hour ozone standards. Unfortunately, the proposal would create more problems than it would solve. Here are some of the weaknesses cited by the environmental coalition in comments to be submitted later today: