LUNG ASSOCIATION TO FIGHT PROPOSED DELAY IN NEW CLEAN AIR STANDARDS; URGES PRESIDENT TO FULFILL PLEDGE ON CHILDREN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Diane Maple (202) 785-3355
(Washington, D.C. February 3, 1997) -- The American Lung Association today said it would go to court to fight a polluter-inspired attempt to delay proposed new clean air standards.
The Lung Association also called on President Clinton to fulfill his pledge to protect children's health from air pollution.
"Millions of Americans -- including children with asthma and the elderly -- are suffering daily from dirty air," said Fran Du Melle, the Lung Association's Deputy Managing Director. "It is time for the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out its legal responsibility without further delay to make sure our air is really safe to breathe."
In response to lawsuits by the Lung Association, the EPA began reviewing the health damage from smog and soot, technically known as ground-level ozone and fine particles.
In late November, EPA concluded that current standards are inadequate to protect public health. The agency proposed new standards that it said would prevent tens of thousands of premature deaths and reduce childhood respiratory problems. Under a court order, the agency is required to issue final standards in June.
Du Melle noted that the court-ordered schedule has already been postponed three times, most recently on November 27, 1996. "The American Lung Association has bent over backwards to be flexible on the issue of deadlines," she said, noting that the rules would have been made final last week under the initial 1994 court order.
Du Melle noted that big business polluters have mounted a multi-million dollar campaign to undermine the proposed standards.
"For months the polluters have been lobbying governors, the EPA, the White House, and the Congress," Du Melle said. "They want a delay so they can continue lobbying behind closed doors to destroy these standards."
Under pressure from the polluters and several governors, the EPA said February 1 that it would go to court to seek a 60-day delay in setting the standards and in taking further public comment.
Du Melle said the Lung Association would "vigorously fight EPA in court to maintain the deadline for setting new standards." She said the Lung Association would endorse an additional 30-days for public comment as long as the final June 1997 deadline remains in place.
"We want to make sure the public has ample time to comment on the standards. But the public has already said overwhelmingly that it supports them. Our fear is that the additional time will really just be used by polluters for back-room lobbying."
Du Melle called on the President to "fulfill his pre-election pledge to Protect our children for poisons in the air,' and to stand firm against the polluter lobbying campaign." The American Lung Association has been fighting lung disease for more than 90 years. With the generous support of the public and the help of its volunteers, the Lung Association has seen many advances against lung disease. However, its work is not finished. As the American Lung Association looks forward to its second century, it will continue to strive to make breathing easier for everyone. Along with the American Thoracic Society, the Lung Association provides programs of education, community service, advocacy and research. The Lung Association's activities are supported by donations to Christmas Seals and other voluntary contributions.
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