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National Ambient Air Quality Standard Under The Clean Air Act

Volume
Volume 157 , Number 143
Pages
Pages E1706
Legislative Body
Extensions of Remarks
Date
Fri, Sept. 23, 2011

Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich

legislator photo
Party
D
State
OH

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we learned that, according to Environment Ohio, the Cleveland Lorain Elyria area has the 14th smoggiest air among all large metropolitan areas in the U.S. Only a few weeks ago, the President announced he would prevent an update of the rule designed to reduce smog. The American people deserve clean air.

The Bush Administration failed to update National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) under the Clean Air Act for ozone pollution until 2006, when a standard was issued which was much less protective of public health than his scientific advisory board recommended; 75 parts per billion (ppb) of ozone, an air pollutant that is hazardous to fragile lung tissue. The scientific advisors' recommendation was between 60 and 70 ppb, which would have avoided up to 8,000 premature deaths; 3,800 nonfatal heart attacks; and 40,000 asthma attacks every year. The science is clear.

By invoking the industry fake argument that pulling back the update will help the economy, the Obama Administration has chosen to act in contravention of the Clean Air Act, which clearly prohibits consideration of costs in setting the standards designed to protect public health.

Everyone has a right to clean air. This abdication of responsibility affects millions of Americans every day, with every breath. It disproportionately affects the most vulnerable among us, like children, the elderly, and the ill. The story of the ozone rule is aptly told by Verna Riffe Biemel, a constituent of mine. She said:

``On Aug. 4, 2010, my mother succumbed to lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis. I vividly remember the difficulty she had breathing on bad air days. In fact, during her last year, she couldn't go outside at all on those days and felt the difference inside. No one likes to see a loved one struggle to breathe. No one should have to fight for clean air. Congress owes the American public the opportunity to breathe clean air.''

She is right. If the President won't do it, Congress should.