Citizen Hunters, let your voices be heard. Sign up to speak at the upcoming hearing on August 30th in Philadelphia to let the EPA know that you want the strongest possible ozone standards. A great group you guys probably know about by now, www.pennenvironment.org, can supply you with talking points and background information to help you craft your statement.
You can sign up for a time slot to speak at the hearing right here.
If you want to show your support,but don't feel up to speaking, consider attending some of the hearing. Here are the details:
WHAT: EPA public hearing on ozone pollution standards
WHEN: August 30th, from 9am to 9pm
WHERE: The Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel in Center City, Philadelphia (1701 Locust Street)
Here is some background info from Pennenvironment...
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, teenagers, senior citizens, and people with lung disease are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of ozone.
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 new scientific studies have found that exposure to ozone at levels lower than the current air quality standard can cause health effects such as decreased lung
function and increased susceptibility to respiratory infection, even among otherwise healthy adults.
In 2006, the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, a group of expert scientists who advise the EPA Administrator on air pollution, reviewed 2,000 pages of science on the health effects of ozone and unanimously concluded the following:
the Clean Air Act;
to 0.070 ppm.
PennEnvironment, the American Lung Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Thoracic Society, and many other public health and environmental 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. While stronger than the current ozone standard, the proposal does not go far enough to protect Pennsylvanians from the harmful effects of ozone pollution.
Alarmingly, the new EPA proposal also leaves the door open to retaining the current ozone standard, which scientists and even EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson have said is not strong enough to protect public health. Not coincidentally, in the weeks leading up to the release of EPA's proposal, representatives for the electric utilities, chemical industry, Big Oil, and the automakers organized high-level meetings with Bush administration officials to
discuss the new ozone standard.
Every American deserves to breathe clean air. EPA should reject industry pressure to retain the current standard and instead adopt an ozone standard of 0.060 ppm, consistent with the recommendations of its scientific advisors.
In June, the Bush administration opened a public comment period on the ozone proposal. Many of you already have sent emails to EPA calling for a strong ozone standard. Now, EPA will hold five public hearings nationally on the proposed standards, including one in Philadelphia on August 30th.
Our goal is to pack the room with clean air supporters. We need your help to urge the administration to finalize a strong ozone standard to protect public health, not polluters.
We're asking PennEnvironment supporters to consider speaking at the Philadelphia hearing on August 30th, to let EPA know that Pennsylvanians want the strongest possible ozone standards. If you have asthma, know someone who has asthma, or simply want cleaner air, then we want EPA to hear from you! And we can supply you with talking points and background information to help you craft your statement.
Comments (4)
Ozone smells like chlorine.
"Big oil". Why do we no longer call them oil companies?
Is the air I am breathing not clean? Seems clean enough to me. One of our cats sneezes alot though. Wesley. He has alergies. But that is inside our house. Even put in a special ultraviolet air filter for him.
How may Pennsylvanians have been harmed by high ozone levels?
Be careful what you ask for.
Posted by: Todd Levari on August 27, 2007 19:50
It sounds like a good idea. I was reading the bible last night and it talked about God's plan happening no matter what. It looks like the people appointed over us in government, no matter their intentions are, are helping us be stewards of the earth whether they know it or not. I'm in.
Posted by: Francis on August 28, 2007 08:36
Be sure to get those talking points. We surely don't want anyone thinking for themselves...
Posted by: on August 29, 2007 12:35
Well I find the talking pts. helpful. Not that I can't think for myself, but glad Flavia realizes that people do have a lot going on in their lives and certianly can be very scared of public speaking, so thanks for the help. People can always make them their own.
Posted by: Julie pall on August 29, 2007 13:49