The Smog Blog: Five Steps Toward Cleaner Air

This week a coalition of health and environmental organizations released an agenda the Obama Administration and Congress should pursue to protect the air we breathe. 

The agenda identifies the top five steps for cleaner air: 

Clean up coal-fired power plants, a major source of air pollution. Coal-fired power plants are among the largest contributors to particulate matter, ozone, toxics including mercury, lead and arsenic, as well as global warming pollution, including carbon dioxide. Action should be taken immediately to reduce nationwide power plant emissions to levels sufficient to solve these public health and environmental threats once and for all.

Strengthen the 2008 ozone standards—voluntarily. The EPA issued new national air quality standards for ozone in March 2008 that failed to meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act, disregarding the unanimous recommendations of their expert science advisors to adopt standards. This included a decision by the President himself to overturn recommendations from key EPA staff for stronger protections for forests, vegetation and natural systems. These standards are still in the early stage of implementation and have been challenged in court by states, public health and environmental groups. Especially following yesterday’s decision by the Court of Appeals on the fine particulate standards, the EPA should voluntarily remand its March rule and issue a new rule that meets the recommendations of the experts and the law.

Clean up ocean-going vessels. Ocean-going vessels, like cruise ships, container ships and tankers deliver staggering amounts of smog-forming oxides of nitrogen, particle pollution, including the global warming pollutant black carbon, sulfur dioxide, and heat-trapping carbon dioxide. New evidence shows that pollution from these vessels reaches parts of the country far inland from the 40 port cities that have recognized air pollution problems. The U.S. Government must promptly submit a request to create an Emissions Control Area in American waters, including Alaska and Hawaii, to maximize the clean air protections under international agreements, carrying out faster and deeper cuts in particulate- and smog-forming pollutants.

Improve the decaying monitoring network. The nation’s network of air pollution monitors forms the infrastructure that enables us to protect our health and our environment. Monitors provide the most reliable and consistent information on air pollution in our communities and in our national parks, as well as emissions from specific sources, enabling us to see what measures are effective. Emerging science warns that the air quality in areas with no monitoring include serious health risks, like the areas adjacent to major highways or in poorer neighborhoods. Without monitors in place, pollution in those areas will not be tracked and effectively reduced. Unfortunately, states have already had to reduce their limited existing network of monitors and staff to accommodate cuts in funding. To protect populations at risk and National Parks and to assess the efficacy of pollution control programs, EPA must work with scientists and state officials to lower the costs of monitoring and expand its reach.

Enforce the law. Since 1970, the Clean Air Act has driven the achievements made in air pollution reduction. However, the rules have eroded, as political decisions took the place of scientific ones, and delay after delay undermined enforcement of the law. By restoring a commitment to science and law, the nation can make great strides in protecting human health and the environment from air pollution.

The detailed agenda is available online.   

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