If you’ve ever been to Los Angeles, Sacramento, Dallas, or Washington D.C. -- or any of these other major U.S. cities -- on a hot, sunny day, chances are you've experienced smog, or ground-level ozone. It turns out that the haze that has overtaken many of our favorite cities is doing more than just obstructing our views: it’s hurting our health.
In fact, nearly half of all Americans -- a whopping 156 million people -- are put at risk from the negative health effects of smog, which can include shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing, wheezing, reduced lung function, and irritation of the eyes, nose, or throat. These symptoms are particularly prevalent among young children, the elderly, adults who are active outdoors, and those with chronic lung conditions, like asthma.
The current Bush-era smog standards were enacted in 2008 and failed to meet the recommendations of the scientific community and medical professionals. After more than six years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new standards that are more in line with medical science, calling for standards between 65 and 70 parts per billion (ppb) and taking comments on going as low as 60 ppb. This is a drastic increase over the 75 ppb of the Bush era and a great opportunity to protect vulnerable American communities from the hazards of air pollution.
To hear feedback from the general public on these proposed standards, the EPA will be holding hearings in Washington, D.C. and Arlington, TX this Thursday, Jan. 29 and next Tuesday, Feb. 2 in Sacramento, CA.
If you’d like to make sure the EPA knows we need these stronger smog standards, you can sign up to testify at an EPA hearing near you!