I’m shocked. This summer, high levels of ozone pollution (also known as “smog”) have prompted air quality alerts in Texas, Pennsylvania, and beyond, but EPA has chosen to pass up an opportunity to protect us against this dangerous air pollutant.
On Monday, EPA announced that they would initiate a new review of ozone, even though they had the opportunity to adopt a more health-protective standard now. Undertaking a new scientific review of ozone is a lengthy process that will postpone the adoption of new standards until the end of 2025.
Our kids need EPA to follow the science with protective clean air rules, which is why we are so disappointed by the decision. As our National Field Manager Elizabeth Brandt points out in a statement, the amount of ozone that current standards allow “is considerably higher than what the EPA’s own scientific experts recommend for air that is safe and healthy to breathe, which are the basic tenets of the Clean Air Act.”
Ground-level ozone forms through the reaction between heat, sunlight, and pollutants that mainly come from nonelectric cars, power plants, industrial facilities, and oil and gas pollution. Unhealthy ozone levels increase heart and lung diseases, cause premature deaths, and disproportionately affect low income communities and communities of color.
As Elizabeth says: “In deciding to move the goalpost, EPA has put the health of millions at risk for years to come. We demand that EPA quickly enact clean air rules that protect our families and communities and reflect the best science of today.”