Health and Environmental Groups Advocate for Better Ozone Standard
Heads of over 20 public health and environmental organizations — including the American Lung Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Health Association — wrote EPA Administrator Steven Johnson on April 16, 2007,urging him to tighten the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone smog.
“The current air quality standards for ozone fail to protect public health,” states the letter. “We agree with the conclusion of both the unanimous Clean Air Scientific Advisory (CASAC) and the final Staff Paper: EPA cannot justify retaining the current ozone standard based on the health evidence.”
The groups urged Johnson to propose lowering the ozone standard from the current level of 0.084 parts per million (ppm) eight-hour average to a level of 0.060 ppm.
“Standards must be set at levels that will protect children, people with asthma and other lung diseases, seniors, outdoor workers and otherwise healthy ‘responders’ who are especially sensitive to ozone exposure,” the letter states.
The letter cites medical studies showing some healthy adults “experience reduced lung function, increased respiratory symptoms, including changes in airway responsiveness and inflammation” at ozone exposure rates lower than what the current standard permits.
EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson is under a consent decree to issue a proposed revision of the air quality standards for ozone on June 22, 2007. Earlier this year, the 23-member independent CASAC ozone panel unaimously recommend a range of 0.060 ppm to 0.070 ppm for the eight-hour primary ozone standard.
A copy of the letter with the complete list of signatories is attached.
