Sixty-five health organizations are urging the EPA to approve eight California clean air rules that they say could save thousands of lives and reduce respiratory diseases.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Health Organizations Advocate for EPA Approval: Sixty-five health and medical organizations are urging the EPA to approve eight pending California clean air rules, which are projected to save 11,000 lives and generate over $116 billion in health benefits.
- California’s Clean Air Authority: Under the Clean Air Act, California can implement more stringent air quality standards than the federal government, but it requires EPA authorization to enforce these rules; currently, eight such requests are pending.
- Impact on Vulnerable Populations: According to the organizations, the approval of these clean air rules is particularly important for protecting vulnerable populations, such as children, from the harmful effects of air pollution, with potential benefits extending beyond California to other states that choose to adopt these standards.
Today, 65 health and medical organizations, including the American Lung Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, submitted comments to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging the agency to approve eight California clean air rules that are pending authorization.
Collectively, the emissions reductions from these eight programs are projected to save 11,000 lives in California, with health benefits exceeding $116 billion over the course of implementation.
Under the Clean Air Act, California has the authority to establish more health-protective clean air protections than the federal government, but the state must petition EPA to grant a waiver or authorization allowing implementation of the rules.
Currently, eight requests have been submitted to EPA to allow the state to implement programs ushering in a new generation of zero-emission technology requirements for passenger vehicles, heavy-duty trucks, locomotive operations, maritime operations, landscaping, and other off-road equipment.
Public Hearing on Advanced Clean Fleets Policy
The letter precedes an upcoming public hearing on one of the programs under consideration, California’s Advanced Clean Fleets policy to expand zero-emission trucking fleets in the state.
“The American Lung Association calls on EPA to act without delay to authorize the full suite of California clean air policies. There is much at stake, especially when considering that nearly every Californian lives in a community impacted by unhealthy air. These policies will save thousands of lives, generate tens of billions of dollars in health benefits, and cut the risk of lung cancer in the most impacted communities. They’ll also ensure states outside of California have the option to implement stronger policies to benefit their residents’ health,” says Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Association, in a release.
Impact of Air Pollution on Vulnerable Populations
In the 2024 “State of the Air” report, the American Lung Association found that California remains home to the most difficult air pollution challenges in the nation. Six California cities appear on the top 10 list for smoggiest cities in America, and eight appear among the most impacted by particle pollution.
“Pediatricians know that children are uniquely vulnerable to hazardous air pollution and its serious health consequences. Children are not little adults, and their lungs are still developing, putting them at greater risk for harmful impacts to their lifelong health and development,” says American Academy of Pediatrics president Benjamin D. Hoffman, MD, FAAP, in a release. “We encourage EPA to authorize these pending California clean air programs, which would help reduce the health harms of air pollution from motor vehicles in California and other states as well.”
Expanding Clean Air Standards Beyond California
California has the unique authority to develop rules stronger than equivalent federal rules under the Clean Air Act, while other states have the authority to opt into those more health-protective standards.
To date, 12 states have adopted California’s pending Advanced Clean Cars II program to reduce pollution from combustion vehicles and ensure increasing zero-emission vehicle sales over the coming decades. Approval of this waiver request by EPA will allow these states to implement the program on schedule.
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