Denver has a major air pollution problem and its name is ozone. Of all the major air pollutants, ground-level ozone is the most prevalent and causes more harm than we had previously understood. That is why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency must follow the law and strengthen the ozone standard.
Hundreds of studies document that ozone pollution costs Denver residents in many ways. Ground-level ozone pollution, also known as smog, poses a major health risk to millions of Americans. It likely affects you, your friends, and your family. Ozone smog triggers asthma attacks, sends people to the hospital and even shortens lives. Newer evidence warns that ozone worsens heart disease and increases the risk of low birth weight in newborns.
The American Lung Association supports much stronger limits on dangerous ozone pollution. Today’s science clearly shows that the current limits fail to do their sole job: adequately protecting public health. The EPA estimates that if we strengthen the standards to the level that its independent science advisors recommend, we would see significant decreases in asthma attacks, missed school and workdays, and premature deaths. These also have tremendous economic consequences that many people often fail to recognize.
You may hear some politicians and business leaders say that a stronger ozone standard will hurt the economy. In fact, the evidence shows otherwise. As we have cut air pollution over the past four decades, our economy has more than doubled, in part due to innovations and new companies which have arisen to help meet new standards.
Not cleaning up the air has costs that are not usually cited by opponents. The EPA estimates that cleaning up ozone to meet a stronger standard would prevent 1.9 million missed school days from asthma attacks and prevent 7,900 premature deaths each year. As you might imagine, statistics like this weigh heavily on families and on the economy.
Employment in clean-tech industries grew by 29.3 percent in Colorado between 2007 and 2012. The solutions to pollution are benefiting our state greatly, and Colorado is well poised to see continued growth in this area. Ultimately, stronger ozone standards could mean more jobs in Colorado as we see jobs in clean technologies expand.
Air is a community resource — a shared commodity — and it is our responsibility to take care of it, as we do with our water, our food, and other resources. Our citizens deserve the protections granted them in the Clean Air Act.
Ozone is the most prominent air pollutant connected to dramatic, real and measurable health issues for Coloradans. Tightening the ozone standard is a tangible, effective step we can take to protect the air we share together and to reduce the costs poor air quality has on everyone.
We would encourage both opponents and proponents to work more collaboratively with government agencies, health officials and non-profit organizations to help devise a solution to this important challenge.
Curt Huber is executive director of the American Lung Association in Colorado.
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