This American Lung Association® website provides timely information to public health and environmental advocates about the EPA review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone and particulate matter.
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EPA’s top children’s health advisors have urged Administrator Stephen L. Johnson to set tough new air quality standards for ozone air pollution. 

Citing serious risks to children’s health, the EPA Children’s Health Protection Advisory Commitee (CHPAC) urged EPA Administrator Johnson to set a 8-hour average standard of 0.060 ppm, down from the current standard which is effectively 0.085 ppm.  Read more »

More than 100 distinguished air pollution researchers and physicians are recommending that the U.S. EPA set much tougher new health standards for ground-level ozone, or smog.  Read more »

EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) has issued some strong advice to EPA Administrator Steve Johnson on the need to strengthen the air quality standards for ozone.  In a letter dated March 26, 2007, the scientists wrote:  

“Ozone Panel members were unanimous in recommending that the level of the current primary ozone standard should be lowered from 0.08 ppm to no greater than 0.070 ppm.” 

Further, the scientists emphasized the need to provide a margin of safety in standard-setting, as required by the Clean Air Act. 

Read the full letter providing comments on EPA’s final ozone Staff Paper online: 

http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/casac-07-002.pdf

The recommendations from the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee come on the heels of strong recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen air quality guidelines for ozone.  The WHO report, issued in full on March 23, 2007, recommends an air quality guideline of 0.051 ppm ozone, 8-hour average, to protect against respiratory effects and premature deaths due to ozone.  See the full report online: 

http://www.euro.who.int/Document/E90038.pdf

A final EPA Staff Paper on the review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone air pollution concludes that the current standard is not protective of public health and must be strengthened.  Read more »

Long-term exposure to traffic pollution may stunt the lung development of children who live near a major highway, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.  Read more »

Women living in areas with higher levels of air pollution have a greater risk of developing heart disease and dying from cardiovascular causes, according to a University of Washington study published in the New England Jouranl of Medicine.  The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI)study is one of the largest of its kind involving more than 65,000 women, ages 50 to 79, living in 36 U.S. cities.  Read more »

Check out this critical review of the last ten years of research on the health effects of fine particle pollution by two leading scientists — Dr. C. Arden Pope III of Brigham Young University and Dr. Douglas W. Dockery of Harvard School of Public Health.  Read more »

It’s true: smog isn’t usually a headline-grabber in the middle of winter.  But there’s a reason you might want to pay attention now.

The U.S. EPA is reviewing the science that supports national health standards for smog.  And we’re on the verge of a major milestone. Read more »

Health, Environmental Groups File Court Challenge to EPA Particulate Matter Pollution Standard 

EPA maintains nearly decade old annual pollution levels that has been linked to thousands of deaths annually

Washington, D.C., December 15, 2006 – Public health and environmental groups today filed suit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for refusing to strengthen a nearly decade old national public health standard for particulate matter (PM) pollution to a level that could prevent thousands of premature deaths every year. Earthjustice filed the suit on behalf of the American Lung Association, Environmental Defense, and the National Parks Conservation Association. Read more »

Statement from John L. Kirkwood, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Lung Association

December 7, 2006.  New York, NY.  The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today an unprecedented decision to seriously weaken the process for determining the level of air pollution that is safe to breathe.  The American Lung Association urges EPA to reconsider this flawed decision and restore the process that has worked for over 30 years.  Read more »