Brian Willis: Brian.Willis@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Former coal lobbyist and EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler finalized his decision to maintain the insufficient ground level ozone standard of 70 parts per billion, despite the scientific consensus that it is not strong enough to protect the most vulnerable communities. Ground-level ozone, informally known as smog, is formed when pollution from sources like coal plants and gas plants, as well as factories and tailpipes, mixes with sunlight. When inhaled, smog irritates our airways, triggering asthma attacks, and increasing our risk of serious heart and lung diseases.
Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA must set a smog pollution standard that is protective of public health by incorporating the latest scientific and medical evidence. With five additional years of data and analysis, the evidence was strong enough for the EPA to set a more protective standard of no higher than 60 parts per billion. But Donald Trump and his EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler ignored this evidence today, and instead chose to maintain an outdated, less-protective smog standard.
Failing to correct the smog standard means that states and counties will not have to take steps to improve air quality.
In response, Al Armendariz, Senior Director of Federal Campaigns, released the following statement:
“Andrew Wheeler has just condemned millions of Americans to more asthma attacks, more heart attacks, and more premature deaths with his reckless decision to keep the ground level ozone (smog) standard at 70 parts per billion. Since assuming office, the soon to be former EPA Administrator has shown an unprecedented drive to disregard science and public health in order to protect and indemnify his former clients in the coal industry -- and we are a sicker country for it.
“But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. His days at the helm of the EPA are numbered, and we trust the new Biden Administration will soon begin the process of reversing Wheeler’s pro-coal policies and put public health back at the center of EPA’s decision making process. As Wheeler’s historically repugnant tenure comes to an end, we must all regroup, recharge, and rebuild to make our country a safer place to live. Most importantly, we must do our absolute best to make sure another coal lobbyist never takes the helm of the EPA ever again.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.