June 2017

Last week, the Energy and Power Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed legislation that would take several steps to weaken the Clean Air Act including delaying by 10 years implementation of the current EPA ozone standard, directing EPA to review air quality standards every 10 years (as opposed to every 5 years under current law), directing the EPA Administration to consider costs and technical feasibility when setting EPA health-based Clean Air Act standards. The ATS strongly opposes this legislation and earlier this year, ATS Past-President Homer Boushey, MD, testified before the House Committee expressing the ATS concerns with this bill. In commenting on implementation delays called for in the House bill, Dr. Boushey noted, "In the 10-year review lag called for in this bill, a child will grow from a newborn to a 10-year old.  In that time, the lungs, like the rest of the body, will see tremendous changes that will determine the life-long health prospects of that child.  We know childhood exposure to air pollution adversely shapes the development of the lungs in ways that predispose to adult disease.  By delaying improvements in air quality, we are literally burdening our children with life-long health issues."