Over 200 Medical Societies, Public Health Groups, Faith and Other Organizations Urge Strong EPA Action Limiting Smog Pollution That Would Save Thousands of Lives

News provided by

Natural Resources Defense Council; American Lung Association; American Public Health Association

Nov 17, 2010, 11:00 ET

210 Regional, State and Local Groups Sign on; American Lung Association, American Public Health Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics Among Signers of New National Ad.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A national coalition of 210 public health, advocacy and faith-based groups is endorsing pending EPA pollution limits that would save 12,000 lives and prevent tens of thousands of asthma attacks and heart attacks each year.

The groups announced their support in an ad scheduled to appear today in Politico. Among the groups backing the EPA's authority are the American Lung Association, American Public Health Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Preventive Medicine, and Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, along with scores of other influential national and state-level groups.

The ad may be viewed online at http://www.plowsharegroup.com/media_downloads/ala_ozone_push.php.

Overwhelming scientific evidence shows that the official limit on ozone, called the national air quality standard, must be much stronger to protect public health from serious harm. Ozone, sometimes called smog, burns lungs and airways, causing them to become inflamed, reddened, and swollen. Young children, teens, senior citizens, and people with lung diseases like asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and others are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of ozone. When inhaled even at low levels, ozone can cause chest pain and coughing, aggravate asthma, reduce lung function, increase emergency room visits and hospital admissions for respiratory problems, and lead to irreversible lung damage. Ozone can even cause premature death.

Nonetheless, polluters and their allies are pushing heavily to block the new standards.

"EPA must strengthen the ozone standard to protect millions of Americans who are currently exposed to unsafe levels of toxic ozone," said Charles D. Connor, president and CEO of the American Lung Association. "This is a critical step towards safer and healthier air across the United States."

"Polluters are attacking the clean air protections that have saved tens of thousands of lives and prevented millions of cases of illnesses over the past 40 years," said Peter Lehner, executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council. "The Clean Air Act alone has done a remarkable job of reducing pollution and protecting our health but there is more work to be done. Millions are suffering from asthma attacks and heart and lung disease. We need the EPA to follow the science and enact stronger standards to reduce the amount of smog we breathe."

"Science should be our guide, and there's no doubt that adopting a stronger standard will protect health and save lives," said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, executive director of the American Public Health Association. "People with asthma, seniors, outdoor workers and especially children are at greatest risk. A stronger standard will help ensure that those who are most vulnerable are more adequately protected."

The full text of the ad reads as follows:

"It's our air, but big polluters treat it like they own it. They dump millions of tons of dangerous pollution into our air, threatening the health of all Americans.

Now they're also dumping millions of dollars into a lobbying war against America's clean air laws -- even as millions suffer from asthma attacks and other health impacts, especially the young and the elderly.

By setting stronger air quality standards for smog, the EPA can take a stand against big polluters and their lobbyists – and stand up for all Americans, including the most vulnerable.

Overwhelming evidence shows that stronger smog standards will save thousands of lives and prevent tens of thousands of respiratory emergencies each year. Why would anyone oppose that?

Administrator Jackson, we are counting on you to fight for our air so America's most vulnerable don't have to."

The full list of 44 national ad signers is:

American Academy of Pediatrics
American College of Preventive Medicine
American Lung Association
American Public Health Association
American Thoracic Society
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Center for Biological Diversity
Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Watch
Earth Day Network
Earthjustice
Environment America
Environmental Defense Fund
Environmental Health Fund
Friends of the Earth
Greenpeace USA
Interfaith Power & Light
Izaak Walton League of America
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA)
League of Conservation Voters
MORALS - Mineral Owners for Responsible Action and Land Safety
National Alliance for Drilling Reform NA4DR
National Association of County and City Health Officials
National Latino Coalition on Climate Change (NLCCC)
National Parks Conservation Association
National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc. (NPRC)
National Wildlife Federation
Natural Resources Defense Council
NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Public Citizen
Safe Climate Campaign
Science and Environmental Health Network
Sierra Club
SustainEdge
TEDX
The Center for the Celebration of Creation
The Turner Foundation, Inc.
Trust for America's Health
Union of Concerned Scientists
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth
Utah Interfaith Power & Light
Voces Verdes

The full list of the 166 regional, state and local ad signers is

Alabama
American Lung Association in Alabama
Conservation Alabama
GASP (formerly Alabama First)
Alaska
American Lung Association in Alaska
Arizona
American Lung Association in Arizona
Arkansas
American Lung Association in Arkansas
The Earth Cause Organization
California
Ballona Network
Bayview Hunters Point Community Advocates
Citizen's Coalition for a Safe Community
Clean Water and Air Matter
Coalition for Clean Air
Fresno Metro Ministry
KyotoUSA
Regional Asthma Management & Prevention
Rose Foundation for Communities & the Environment
SF-Bay Area Physicians for Social Responsibility
Colorado
American Lung Association in Colorado
Colorado Environmental Coalition
Sierra Club, Rocky Mountain Chapter
Western Resource Advocates
Wilderness Workshop
Connecticut
American Lung Association in Connecticut
Connecticut Interfaith Power and Light
Delaware
American Lung Association in Delaware
District of Columbia
American Lung Association in the District of Columbia
Greater Washington Interfaith Power & Light
Southern Environmental Law Center
Florida
American Lung Association in Florida
Georgia
American Lung Association in Georgia
Environment Georgia
Georgia Interfaith Power & Light
Mothers & Others for Clean Air
Southern Energy Network
Hawaii
American Lung Association in Hawaii
Idaho
American Lung Association in Idaho
Illinois
American Lung Association in Illinois
Eco-Justice Collaborative
Environment Illinois
Faith in Place and the Illinois Interfaith Power & Light Campaign
Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition
Protestants for the Common Good
Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago
Indiana
American Lung Association in Indiana
Hoosier Environmental Council
Indiana Toxics Action
Valley Watch, Inc
Iowa
American Lung Association in Iowa
Kansas
American Lung Association in Kansas
The Great Plains Alliance for Clean Energy
Kentucky
American Lung Association in Kentucky
Kentucky Environmental Foundation
Kentucky Interfaith Power & Light, Inc
Louisiana
American Lung Association in Louisiana
Maine
American Lung Association in Maine
Conservation Law Foundation
ENE (Environment Northeast)
Natural Resources Council of Maine
Maryland
American Lung Association in Maryland
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Massachusetts
American Lung Association in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Interfaith Power & Light
Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters
Unitarian Universalist MA Action Network
Michigan
American Lung Association in Michigan
Environment Michigan
Great Lakes Environmental Law Center
Michigan Interfaith Power & Light
Michigan League of Conservation Voters
Minnesota
American Lung Association in Minnesota
Environment Minnesota
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
Minnesota Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Alliance
Mississippi
American Lung Association in Mississippi
Missouri
American Lung Association in Missouri
Audubon Missouri
Missouri Coalition for the Environment
Missouri Votes Conservation
Renew Missouri, a project of the Coalition for the Environment
Montana
American Lung Association in Montana
Nebraska
American Lung Association in Nebraska
Nevada
American Lung Association in Nevada
Nevada Building Performance Professionals
Nevada Conservation League Education Fund
SolarEnvi
New Hampshire
American Lung Association in New Hampshire
New Jersey
American Lung Association in New Jersey
New Mexico
American Lung Association of New Mexico
New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light
Western Environmental Law Center
WildEarth Guardians
New York
American Lung Association in New York
Asthma Free School Zone
Citizens' Environmental Coalition
New York Interfaith Power & Light
New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG)
New Yorkers for Sustainable Energy
Renewable Energy Long Island
WE ACT For Environmental Justice
North Carolina
American Lung Association in North Carolina
Appalachian Voices
Conservation Council of NC
NC WARN
North Carolina Conservation Network
North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light
North Dakota
American Lung Association in North Dakota
Ohio
American Lung Association in Ohio
Environment Ohio
Northeast Ohio Gas Accountability Project (NEOGAP)
Ohio Environmental Council
Ohio Network for the Chemically Injured
Western Lake Erie Waterkeeper Association
Oklahoma
American Lung Association in Oklahoma
Oregon
American Lung Association in Oregon
Northwest Environmental Defense Center
Oregon Interfaith Power and Light, A Project of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Pennsylvania
American Lung Association in Pennsylvania
Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture)
Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania
Group Against Smog & Pollution
Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light
Rhode Island
American Lung Association in Rhode Island
Rhode Island Interfaith Power and Light
South Carolina
American Lung Association in South Carolina
South Dakota
American Lung Association in South Dakota
Tennessee
American Lung Association in Tennessee
Tennessee Interfaith Power & Light
Texas
American Lung Association in Texas
Argyle-Bartonville Communities Alliance
Corinthcares
Dallas Downriver Club
DFW Regional Concerned Citizens
Downwinders at Risk
Family Area Ministry & Education
Flower Mound Citizens Against Urban Drilling
Flower Mound Defense Fund
FWCanDo (Fort Worth Citizens Against Neighborhood Drilling Operations)
Local Color
Old Town Neighborhood Association
Texans for Responsible and Accountable Energy Development
Wise County Alliance for Responsible Drilling
Utah
American Lung Association in Utah
Vermont
American Lung Association in Vermont
Friends of Burlington Gardens
Idle-Free VT Inc.
Virginia
American Lung Association in Virginia
VA League of Conservation Voters
Virginia Conservation Network
Washington
American Lung Association in Washington
Earth Ministry/Washington Interfaith Power & Light
West Virginia
American Lung Association in West Virginia
Wisconsin
American Lung Association in Wisconsin
Clean Wisconsin
Interfaith Community for the Earth - Central WI
Midwest Environmental Advocates
Wisconsin Asthma Coalition
Wisconsin Environment
Wisconsin Interfaith Power and Light
Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters
Wyoming
American Lung Association in Wyoming
Powder River Basin Resource Council
Upper Green River Alliance
Wyoming Conservation Voters
Wyoming Outdoor Council