Mike Quigley: “Since the Clean Air Act was enacted into law more than 40 years ago, we have seen tremendous progress in cleaning up our…”

“Since the Clean Air Act was enacted into law more than 40 years ago, we have seen tremendous progress in cleaning up our air and in protecting thousands of communities around the country. Unfortunately, many Americans are still living in communities where poor air quality puts them and their loved ones' health at risk. That is why I am proud to support the EPA's new standard for ground level ozone pollution. Whether we work outdoors or simply want our children to be able to play outside, the EPA's recent national ozone pollution standards bring us one step closer to cleaner, healthier communities for everyone to enjoy. This proposal would lower the current standard of 75 parts per billion to a standard in the range of 65 to 70 parts per billion, while taking public comments on a level as low as 60. Despite what many of my colleagues seem to believe, successful public health protection depends on the latest scientific data, and as many Members have been so eager to point out, we are not scientists. All we can do is rely on the best data out there from experts in the field, and in this case the data is quite clear. A significantly expanded body of scientific evidence, including more than 1,000 new studies since the last review of the standards, show that ozone can cause harmful effects to health and the environment.…”