When asked if they favor stricter limits on the amount of fine particles (or “soot”) that can be released by power plants, oil refineries, and other industrial facilities, 39% of the registered voters who participated in an American Lung Association survey said they “strongly favor” updated air pollution standards, with 23% indicating they “somewhat favor” the move. Thirty percent noted some level of opposition to stricter limits.
Those figures dropped slightly, however, after survey participants were read pro/con statements related to the proposed changes. When the information was read, the respondent was asked again if they favor or oppose stricter limits on the commercial creation of fine particles; 57% noted they either strongly or somewhat favored the changes; 37% indicated they were either strongly or somewhat opposed.
“This poll affirms that the public is sick of soot and wants EPA to set more protective standards,” said Peter Iwanowicz, American Lung Association Assistant Vice President. “The public also does not buy the arguments being made by big polluters and their allies in Congress that this is not the right time to update soot standards and that doing so would be bad for the economy. They believe we can have clean air and a robust economy.”
