January 6, 2010 — Today or tomorrow, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) is expected to announce its decision on whether to strengthen the national air quality standards for ozone.

Under the last Administration, the EPA rejected the unanimous advice of the Agency’s science advisers and set standards too weak to protect public health. Now, the Obama Administration’s EPA has a chance to get it right.  EPA scientists and independent outside scientific experts agree that the old standards are too weak to protect against asthma attacks, emergency room visits, and premature death.

With the quality of the air we breathe at stake, what should the Agency do?  And who could be affected?

The fact sheet below provides additional information.
EPA Reconsiders the Ozone Air Quality Standard: Will They Get It Right?

On Monday November 16, 2009, EPA will issue a proposed rule to revise the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide. For the first time, EPA will propose short-term limits on sulfur dioxide concentrations to protect the health of children with asthma.
Below, we have posted a fact sheet prepared by the American Lung Association that provides background on the health effects of sulfur dioxide and the issues at stake:
SO2 NAAQS Backgrounder

For the first time in over 35 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed changes to the national air quality standard for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) a widespread, noxious air pollutant. The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) define what constitutes air that is safe to breathe and drive air pollution cleanup programs.  EPA has proposed adding a new one-hour standard to the existing annual standard. EPA also has proposed establishing a roadside monitoring network to track expected higher levels of NO2 along major highways.

Recent research shows that the current annual average standard set in 1971 fails to protect the health of children, older adults and people with asthma and of people who live and work near major highways.  EPA will accept public comments on the proposal until September 14, 2009, and will hold public hearings on August 3, 2009 in Arlington, VA and August 6, 2009 in Los Angeles. EPA is under a court order to issue final standards by January 22, 2010.

Attached are a fact sheet on the proposal with information on how to file public comments, as well as talking points for the public hearings.

Fact Sheet on NO2 Proposal

Talking Points for Public Hearings on NO2

Do you need a scorecard to keep track of the major milestones in the EPA’s reviews of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for the major pollutants?
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It’s coming down to the wire. What’s literally at stake is the quality of the air we breathe.

The U.S. EPA is on the verge of deciding if national health standards for smog should be made tougher. (more…)

On June 21, 2007 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to strengthen the official “limit” on ground level ozone smog. Unfortunately, EPA’s proposal fails to follow the law and protect public health adequately from this widespread and dangerous air pollutant. Overwhelming scientific evidence, including reviews by independent scientists, confirm that public health is seriously at risk and needs much more protection.  EPA will take comments until October 9, 2007, including at five public hearings on August 30 and September 5.  The American Lung Association and many other medical societies, public health and environmental groups are urging EPA to adopt standards that provide much more protection.

For more information on what you can do and for details on the public hearings, please refer to the fact sheet available here:  8-2-07 Ozone Standards Action Alert