Clean Air Act protects health deFur: Clean Air Act protects public health

By Peter deFur

DeFur is an environmental scientist who has been a volunteer with the American Lung Association for more than 15 years.

This year's "State of the Air Report" out recently from the American Lung Association provides county-by-county grades (A-F) for air quality across the nation and at the local level. Roanoke received an "A" for ozone (smog) pollution and a "B" for particle pollution, which is a particularly powerful respiratory irritant. This comes as welcome news overall to the area's 1,800 children who have pediatric asthma as well as the 10,000 area residents who have been diagnosed with adult asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), or lung cancer.

Why does this matter? While everyone is affected by the quality of air that we breathe on a daily basis, there is someone in nearly every family who is particularly vulnerable. Children face special risks because their lungs are still developing and because they are more active outdoors. Research shows that air pollution can cause developmental harm. Older adults are also at a higher risk of health problems which can be triggered by ozone and particle pollution. Poor air quality days will trigger stokes and heart attacks in older people and those with existing lung health problems. And of course those with asthma, COPD, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes are also more vulnerable every day.

Nearly 4 in 10 people (38.9 percent) in the United States live in counties that had unhealthful levels of air pollution. While this amounts to an overall improvement compared to recent years, more than 125 million Americans are living in counties where they are exposed to unhealthful levels of air pollution in the form of either ozone or short-term or year-round levels of particles.

Since 1970, the Clean Air Act has helped steadily improve the nation's air quality and has saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Americans' lung health is far better protected today than it was before the Clean Air Act health protections began more than 45 years ago. This year's "State of the Air" report results illustrate the sustained success of this law. But this landmark piece of bi-partisan legislation is under heavy attack in Washington. Knowing that it can't be repealed, Congress is attempting to accomplish that same goal with a death by a thousand cuts- all done under the guise of "regulatory reform".

We also shouldn't ignore the importance of clean air for Virginia's agriculture, the largest sector of our state economy. Poor air quality, whether acid rain or high ozone, smog or particulate matter can ruin crops, including fruits, grapes and leafy vegetables. In Virginia, we cannot afford to let poor air quality affect our farmers.

"State of the Air" adds to the growing body of evidence that the impacts of climate change will continue to make it harder to protect human health. Our warming climate presents a major hurdle to combating air pollutants and protecting public health. We must address this problem now and continue to pay close attention to the changes that are affecting us all.

Our nation's leaders, including President Trump, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Pruitt and members of Congress like Senators Kaine and Warner must ensure we protect and continue the legacy of the Clean Air Act. In order to continue to build on the progress it has made, it must remain intact, funded, and enforced.