Texans speak out for tougher ozone standards
by Geoffrey Castro, September 2007
Earlier this month, the EPA chose Houston as one of five cities across the country, to get input from the public on the 8-hr ground-level ozone standard. Thank you to the many Houstonians and Texans who stood in front of the EPA as advocates for clean air.
As the hearings progressed throughout the day health professionals, environmentalists, and concerning citizens were united with a clear message- we need stronger standards for ozone to protect public health. Representatives from industry voiced their concerns as well, not over protecting health, but on the substantial costs of meeting stricter ozone standards.
A 2002 ruling from the Supreme Court requires that the EPA must only consider one factor when setting air quality standards: public safety. Economic variables such as cost may not influence decision making.
Houston has consistently had some of the worst ozone levels in the nation. In fact, our ozone levels exceed the EPA’s standards for 30 to 40 days each year when the Agency allows for up to only three. Although Houston’s first goal for meeting ozone standards was in 1975, over three decades later, that goal has yet to be met.
With nearly six million people living in the Houston region, many residents are being exposed to risks as a result of failure to meet federal targets for ozone. These risks include asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Furthermore, these risks are even more threatening to children as they spend more time outdoors during the summer when ozone levels are at their highest.
Recently the EPA’s science advisors, the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), recommended that the Agency adopt a more stringent standard to protect the health of Americans. New epidemiological and clinical studies show that breathing ozone at levels lower than the current standard can harm one’s health.
The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to set standards to protect public health with “an adequate margin of safety” to protect sensitive populations. EPA is entertaining the idea of strengthening its standards, but its proposed level is a slight improvement and is weaker than what EPA scientific advisors consider safe. Even more disconcerting, is the fact that the Agency is also considering leaving the current unhealthy standard in place.
The problems we face with ozone here in Houston are occurring all over the state in our major urban areas where we have emissions from our vehicles and industry.
Houston and the rest of the nation need an ozone standard that is consistent with scientific analysis. EPA should resists industry pressure and adopt an ozone standard solely focused on protecting public health. Let’s strengthen social and political will for clean air and allow Texans to enjoy a better breath of fresh air.
Geoffrey Castro is the executive director for Citizens League for Environmental Action Now (CLEAN)
This editorial featured in the Bellaire Examiner and River Oaks Examiner
